Which constellation is named after the Great Bear?

Ursa Major is the constellation named after the Great Bear. The Latin name means “greater bear,” distinguishing it from the nearby constellation Ursa Minor, the Little Bear.

Ursa Major is one of the best-known northern constellations and was included among the 48 constellations recorded by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. Its most recognizable feature is the Big Dipper, a seven-star asterism formed by part of the constellation. In the United Kingdom it is commonly called the Plough, while other cultures have interpreted the same stars as a wagon, hunters, or a group of animals.

The constellation covers about 1,280 square degrees, making it the third-largest of the 88 modern constellations. It is especially useful for navigation because the two stars at the outer edge of the Big Dipper’s bowl point toward Polaris, the North Star, which lies in Ursa Minor rather than Ursa Major.

A frequent mistake is treating the Big Dipper and Ursa Major as identical. The Big Dipper is only an asterism within the larger constellation. Ursa Major also includes many stars and deep-sky objects beyond the seven-star dipper pattern.