Ursa Major

Latin for, "Larger Bear", Ursa Major is one of the biggest and most easily seen constellations in the Northern Hemisphere. It can be seen almost year round in the Northern Hemisphere, with April being the best month to see it.

The brightest seven stars in the constellation is actually another, more well know constellation. The Big Dipper makes up the back of this great bear. This is the easiest way to locate him in the sky. If you can find the big dipper or the little dipper, just follow them to the bear. Down below is a diagram of the constellation to help you become familiar with the way it looks.

One of the few star groups mentioned in the Bible (Job 9:9; 38:32; Amos 5:8—Orion and the Pleiades being others), Ursa Major was also pictured as a bear by the Jewish peoples. ("The Bear" was translated as "Arcturus" in the Vulgate and it persisted in the KJV.) Not only mentioned in the Bible, this constellation has roots in the mythos in Iriquios, Hindu, Finnish, Greek, and Burmese civilizations. This is one of the best-known constellations world-wide. It truly is a sight to behold in the night sky.