In Greek myth, Zeus was having an affair with the lovely Callisto. When his wife, Hera, found out she changed Callisto into a bear. Zeus put the bear in the sky along with the Little Bear, which is Callisto's son, Arcas. In other myths, the constellation is not a bear at all, but is in fact a dog.
What is a story about the Little Bear constellation?
What is the story of the bear constellation?
Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear, is one of the most famous constellations in the night sky. Ancient cultures thought the star formation looked like a bear, and the ancient Greeks connected the constellation to their myth of Callisto, a lovely woman who was transformed into a bear by the jealous goddess Hera.
What is the story of Ursa Minor?
In mythology Ursa Minor is Arcas, the son of Zeus and the maiden Callisto (Ursa Major). Arcas and Callisto were changed into bears and placed in the sky by Zeus in order to be protected from his jealous wife Hera. Within the constellation of Ursa Minor can be found the North Star, Polaris.
Why is it called the Little Bear?
Ursa Minor constellation lies in the northern sky. The constellation's name means “the smaller bear,” or “the lesser bear,” in Latin. The Great Bear constellation is represented by its larger neighbor Ursa Major. Ursa Minor was first catalogued by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century.
What is the plot of Great and Little Bear?
Zeus, the king of gods, fell in love with a young woman called Callisto. This made his wife, Hera, jealous and so she began to watch him carefully. One day, when Zeus and Callisto were walking in a forest, he saw Hera coming their way. Since he didn't want her to make a scene, he turned Callisto into a huge bear.
What is Great Bear and Little Bear?
Ursa Major (/ˈɜːrsə ˈmeɪdʒər/; also known as the Great Bear) is a constellation in the northern sky, whose associated mythology likely dates back into prehistory. Its Latin name means "greater (or larger) she-bear," referring to and contrasting it with nearby Ursa Minor, the lesser bear.
What is special about the Little Dipper?
The Little Dipper is important in navigation as its brightest star, Polaris, also known as the North Star, reveals the location of the North Celestial Pole. Polaris is the nearest bright star to the pole.
What happens when Arcas sees his mother?
One day, when Arcas went hunting in the woods, he came across his mother. Seeing her son after so long, she went forth to embrace him. Not knowing that the bear was his mother, he went to kill her with an arrow. … They are now referred to as Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the big and little bears.
What does the Little Dipper symbolize?
The Little Dipper is important in navigation as its brightest star, Polaris, also known as the North Star, reveals the location of the North Celestial Pole. … The star's angle above the horizon can also be used to find your latitude on Earth, which used to make the North Star exceptionally useful to sailors.