Big Bear & Small Bear Constellations
A Magical Story Written in the Night Sky
Have you ever looked up at the night sky and seen tiny twinkling dots? Those dots are stars — and some of them join together to make special shapes called constellations. Two of the most famous constellations are the Big Bear and the Small Bear. Their real names are Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.
Ursa Major – The Big Bear
Ursa Major means “Great Bear” in Latin. It is one of the largest constellations in the night sky and very easy to spot.
Part of Ursa Major looks like a huge spoon or cooking pot, and this part is called the Big Dipper. Many explorers long ago used the Big Bear to find their way while travelling at night.
Fun facts:
The Big Bear can be seen all year from places like India.
Its stars helped sailors find directions on the sea.
One of its stars, Mizar, has a hidden partner called Alcor — you can see them if your eyes are very sharp!
Ursa Minor – The Small Bear
Ursa Minor means “Little Bear” in Latin. It is smaller than the Big Bear and has a special job in the sky.
Its tail ends with a very important star — the North Star, also known as Polaris. This star has been used for hundreds of years to tell which direction is north.
Fun facts:
The Small Bear has a shape that looks like a tiny spoon, called the Little Dipper.
It always points to the north and does not move much in the sky.
The North Star is one of the brightest stars and helps travellers find their way.
How the Big Bear and Small Bear Are Connected
The Big Bear helps you find the Small Bear!
If you draw an imaginary line from the two front stars of the Big Dipper, the line leads straight to the North Star — the tip of the Small Bear’s tail. So, by spotting the Big Bear, you can easily find the Small Bear too!
A Sky Full of Stories
Long ago, many people — including Greeks and Native Americans — created stories about these bears. They believed that a mother bear and her cub were placed in the sky to shine forever.
Today, you can look up at the stars and enjoy the same magical shapes they saw thousands of years ago.