The constellation 'Ursa Major' is also known as the:

Ursa Major is a Latin name meaning "Great Bear" (ursa = bear, major = greater). It is one of the best-known constellations of the northern sky.

The Big Dipper (Saptarishi):

• Seven bright stars of Ursa Major form a pattern called the Big Dipper or the Plough.
• In India, these seven stars are called the Saptarishi Mandal, after the seven great sages of Hindu tradition.
• The seven stars are Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, Megrez, Alioth, Mizar and Alkaid (also called Benetnasch).

Finding the Pole Star:

• The two stars at the end of the "bowl" of the Big Dipper, Dubhe and Merak, are called the "pointers".
• A line drawn through them and extended about five times their distance leads to the Pole Star (Polaris).
• The Pole Star is part of Ursa Minor, the Little Bear.

Visibility:

• Ursa Major is visible throughout the year from most of the Northern Hemisphere.
• In India, it is best seen in the early part of the night during summer, in the northern sky.

Size:

Ursa Major is the third-largest of the 88 officially recognised constellations, after Hydra and Virgo. It is the largest constellation in the northern sky.

Mythology:

• In Greek mythology, Ursa Major is linked with Callisto, who was turned into a bear.
• Many cultures see different shapes in it: a plough in Britain, a saucepan in some places and a group of sages in India.

What is a constellation:

• A constellation is a group of stars that forms a recognisable pattern in the night sky.
• The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognises 88 constellations.
• The stars of a constellation only appear close together; they may actually lie at very different distances from the Earth.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Little Bear is Ursa Minor, which contains the Pole Star.
• ✗Swan is the meaning of Cygnus.
• ✗Scorpion is Scorpius.