How to find Ursa Major

Ursa Major is probably the first constellation you learned when you were a small child.  It is better know as the "Big Dipper."  The first thing you need to do in order to find Ursa Major is to locate the direction north.  Once you have found the direction north, look for an area of sky with some bright stars.  The seven stars that make up the "Big Dipper" are some of the brighter stars in this section of the sky.  When you think you've found this part of Ursa Major, check with you planetarium notes to make sure you are correct.  After you have found the "Big Dipper", try to make out the rest of the Great Bear.  Now that you have found Ursa Major, you are ready to use it as a guide to the rest of the northern constellations.

Finding Cassiopeia

To find the constellation Cassiopeia, locate the second star in the handle of the "Big Dipper" and Polaris.  Connect a line through this star from Ursa Major through Polaris.  This will point you through Polaris and on to a "W" or "M" shaped constellation.  This is "the queen," Cassiopeia.  The stars of Cassiopeia are not excessively bright. This will make Cassiopeia a difficult constellation to locate.

Finding Capella and Auriga

To find the star Capella and the constellation Auriga, locate the top two stars in the cup of the "Big Dipper."  Connect a line through these two stars leading away from Ursa Major.  This line will point to the bright star Capella in the constellation Auriga.  Capella is the sixth brightest star in the night sky and is about forty (40) light years away.  Capella is actually a double star; both stars are larger than our own Sun.

Finding Regulus and Leo

To find the star Regulus and the constellation Leo, locate the two inner most stars of the cup of the "Big Dipper."  Connect a line through these stars extending from the bottom of the "Big Dipper."  This line will point to the bright star Regulus in the constellation Leo.  Regulus is the twenty-first brightest star we see at night.  It is eighty-three (83) light years away from Earth and is seventy-five (75) times brighter than the Sun.

Finding Arcturus and Boötes

To find the star Arcturus and the constellation Boötes, locate the handle of the "Big Dipper."  Continue the curve of the handle to the bright star Arcturus.  Arcturus is the third brightest star in the night sky and may look to be a light orange color.  You have just found one of the bottom stars in the constellation Boötes.  Arcturus is thirty-three (33) light years away and is thirty (30) times the diameter of our Sun.

Finding Spica and Virgo 

To find the star Spica and the constellation Virgo, start by following the method you used to find Arcturus in Boötes.  Continue the curve of the handle of the "Big Dipper" to the bright star Arcturus.  From Arcturus, continue the curve until you reach another bright star, Spica.  Spica is a blue star, two hundred fifteen (215) light years away from Earth.

Finding Alrai and Cepheus

To find the star Alrai and the constellation Cepheus, locate the two end stars in the cup of the "Big Dipper." Connect a line through these two stars. This will point to the star Polaris. Continue through Polaris and onto Alrai. Alrai marks the point of the constellation Cepheus. This star is not all that bright, but Cepheus is not known for its bright stars. Cepheus was an important constellation in Greek mythology. He was the King of Æthiopia (not present day Ethiopia). This constellation is entangled in mythology with Andromeda (his daughter), Cassiopeia (his queen), Cetus (the monster), Pegasus (helped Perseus), and Perseus (saved Andromeda).

Finding Albireo and Cygnus

To find the star Albireo and the constellation Cygnus, locate the two inner most stars of the cup of the "Big Dipper." Connect a line through these stars extending from the top of the "Big Dipper." This line will lead you just past the "Guardians of the Pole" in Ursa Minor (the "Little Dipper"). Continue on the line and you will find to the star Albireo in the constellation Cygnus. Albireo forms the head of the Swan, Cygnus. The constellation Cygnus is some times called the "Northern Cross." Albireo forms the bottom of the cross and Deneb forms the top part of the cross. This line between Albireo and Deneb also forms the body of the swan. Deneb is the brightest star in Cygnus and is the nineteenth (19) brightest star in the night sky.