Ursa Major
Ursa Major is a well known constellation in the northern hemisphere. Also known as the Great Bear, it was named by the early Greeks. It contains the well known asterism, the Big Dipper. It is best seen in April, and in the northern hemisphere where it never touches the horizon. It contains the stars alpha UMa, beta UMa, gamma UMa, delta UMa, epsilon UMa, zeta UMa and eta UMa. Most of those stars belong in a star cluster, so millions of years from now the constellation will appear as it does today. It is the 3rd largest constellation.
Greek & Indian Mythology
Greek
According to Greek Mythology, the god Zeus saw a beautiful nymph,Callisto, and fell in love with her, but she was a virgin follower of the goddess and huntress Artemis. So Zeus takes the form of Artemis, and finds her in the woods. They hunt for a while and then lay down to rest. Zeus then reveals his true self and takes advantage of Callisto. Once Artemis saw that Callisto was pregnant, she sent her away. Hera, Zeus’s wife finds out and become jealous of Callisto and her new son Arkas. To extract her revenge she curses Callisto and turns her into into a bear. For 15 years, Callisto wandered in the woods in the body of a bear, but with the mind of a human. Years later she stumbles across Arkas and tries to greet him. Fearing that Arkas might kill Callisto not knowing it was his mother he sent them both to live in the sky as constellations. Seeing this, Hera ran to the sea gods and asked them to make it so that the bear could never touch the sea. That is why the great bear never touches the horizon.
Native American
According to Native American Folklore (the Micmacs), the bear is a large and fierce prize bear. The 3 stars that make up the big dipper’s handle are hunters trying to kill the bear. When the constellation lowers during the fall, it is said that the hunters wounded the bear, making him bleed and turning all the trees red.
According to Greek Mythology, the god Zeus saw a beautiful nymph,Callisto, and fell in love with her, but she was a virgin follower of the goddess and huntress Artemis. So Zeus takes the form of Artemis, and finds her in the woods. They hunt for a while and then lay down to rest. Zeus then reveals his true self and takes advantage of Callisto. Once Artemis saw that Callisto was pregnant, she sent her away. Hera, Zeus’s wife finds out and become jealous of Callisto and her new son Arkas. To extract her revenge she curses Callisto and turns her into into a bear. For 15 years, Callisto wandered in the woods in the body of a bear, but with the mind of a human. Years later she stumbles across Arkas and tries to greet him. Fearing that Arkas might kill Callisto not knowing it was his mother he sent them both to live in the sky as constellations. Seeing this, Hera ran to the sea gods and asked them to make it so that the bear could never touch the sea. That is why the great bear never touches the horizon.
Native American
According to Native American Folklore (the Micmacs), the bear is a large and fierce prize bear. The 3 stars that make up the big dipper’s handle are hunters trying to kill the bear. When the constellation lowers during the fall, it is said that the hunters wounded the bear, making him bleed and turning all the trees red.
Citations
"Ursa Major." 29 Jan. 2013
<http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/constellations/Ursa_Major.html>
"Big and Little Dippers: Everything you need to know | Favorite Star ..." 2010. 29 Jan. 2013
<http://earthsky.org/favorite-star-patterns/big-and-little-dippers-highlight-northern-sky>
"Ursa Major." 2003. 29 Jan. 2013 <http://starryskies.com/The_sky/constellations/ursa_major.html>
"Star Tales – Ursa Major." 2004. 29 Jan. 2013 <http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/ursamajor.htm>
<http://www.physics.csbsju.edu/astro/constellations/images/ursa_major_l.gif>
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Ursa_Major_constellation_Hevelius.jpg>
<http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/gif/UMA.jpg>
<http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/constellations/Ursa_Major.html>
"Big and Little Dippers: Everything you need to know | Favorite Star ..." 2010. 29 Jan. 2013
<http://earthsky.org/favorite-star-patterns/big-and-little-dippers-highlight-northern-sky>
"Ursa Major." 2003. 29 Jan. 2013 <http://starryskies.com/The_sky/constellations/ursa_major.html>
"Star Tales – Ursa Major." 2004. 29 Jan. 2013 <http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/ursamajor.htm>
<http://www.physics.csbsju.edu/astro/constellations/images/ursa_major_l.gif>
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Ursa_Major_constellation_Hevelius.jpg>
<http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/gif/UMA.jpg>