The Plough. The great bear. A familiar path towards north.
- LOOK FOR
- Dubhe · Merak · Alkaid
- A SKY STORY
- Ursa Major means the great bear.
Its best-known seven-star pattern is the Plough, also called the Big Dipper. - THE PATTERN
- The Plough
The illustration follows a classical Western sky tradition. Other cultures have different names, figures and stories.
- START HERE
- Find the four-star bowl and curved three-star handle.
- THEN LOOK
- Extend the line from Merak through Dubhe towards Polaris.
- NEARBY PATTERNS
- Ursa Minor · Draco
No featured annual meteor shower is included for this constellation. Other minor or historical associations are outside this page.
- REFERENCE SKY
- Hong Kong15 April 2026 · 22:00 HKT
- Dubhe · J2000
- RA 11h 03m 44sDec +61° 45′ 04″
- Merak · J2000
- RA 11h 01m 50sDec +56° 22′ 57″
Choose Horizon for a level view with true directions and an adjustable reference time. Art keeps the composed view. The scenery is imagined; neither mode is a live local sky.
A constellation is an area of sky, not one coordinate.
About this sky & sources +
Catalogue stars and traditional line patterns share one celestial projection. Terrain and mythological figures are original artistic interpretations.
Art preserves the composed scene. Horizon uses the selected Hong Kong time and true cardinal directions, with a level mathematical horizon. Its continuous illustrated panorama is an imagined setting, not surveyed Hong Kong terrain.
Catalogue coordinates use J2000 and are precessed to the scene date. Weather, moonlight, terrain obstruction and atmospheric refraction are not modelled. This is a learning view, not an observing forecast.
Artwork: generated with imagegen for KamCosmos. Star catalogue and linework: d3-celestial; BSD notice retained in this page.
