How to Locate the Big Dipper Constellation?
The Big Dipper star constellation is often called ‘the plough’ in England, ‘plow’ in the US, ‘starry plough’ in Ireland and ‘Otava’ in Finland. The Big Dipper never sets below the horizon (circumpolar), as it rotates around the north star (Polaris). Thus, for those in the northern Hemisphere, it is visible in northern skies all the year round, and is easy to locate. It’s best to find the dipper either early in the morning or early in the evening. To have a better view of the asterism, one will need to find a dark place. Then, look for a constellation comprising seven stars. The handle of the Big Dipper, comprising three stars forming an angle is the easiest to locate. Once the handle has been located, the bowl is not difficult to find. The two stars situated at the lower end of the bowl serve as pointer stars and enable one to locate the Little Bear constellation. These two stars point to the North Pole or Polaris, which is the last star in the Little Dipper’s tail. Once the Big Dipper
