Observation 3.3

Let's see if you can find Ursa Major

Were you right?




This is actually how the constellation is supposed to look like though not many know that. The part in the yellow is the most common perception of this constellation.

                                                For those of you who needed a better visual.

Date: February 2, 2014
Time: 12:00 am- 12:30 am

Observation:
Good news! The sky isn't cloudy any more! Well, when I happily went outside today, right smack dab in front of me was Ursa Major, also known as the Great Bear or the Big Dipper. In all honesty, when I saw the constellation I only saw the Big Dipper part and only when I started researching this constellation I then remembered that there was more to the constellation. Since the sky was really clear today, I took the chance to bring my parents out and told them about the constellations in the sky and some of their stories. They were quite confused but I'll just take that they are proud of me... I hope.

Being one of the most known constellations on Earth, many cultures have seen this constellation as a big dipper or even a plough. However, there are many stories and explanations of this one very big constellation. The story that I am going to tell you about is the Greek story of the Great Bear. This story also has a lot of interpretations but I am only going to say one of them.

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Callisto who was the daughter of the king of Arcadia, Lycaon. Callisto joined the party of the goddess of hunting, Artemis, where she dressed the same way as the goddess and whom she swore chastity too. One day, Callisto had decided to rest underneath some trees when Zeus caught sight of her and fell in love. Being the god he was, Zeus pretended to be Artemis and when he got close enough he revealed himself to her and had her way with her despite Callisto's struggles. After a couple of months, the hunting party came upon a river and had decided to bathe. As Callisto undressed, her pregnancy was revealed and Artemis, enraged, banished her. Soon after, when Callisto gave birth to her son Arcas, Hera, Zeus' wife, knew about Zeus' and Callisto's affair and wanted revenge. Hera came to Callisto and dragged her down by the hair and made her turn into a bear. For 15 years Callisto was bear in which she was hunted, but one day she came upon her son who did not recognize her, for after all she was a bear, and was about to kill her when Zeus came and placed them both in the sky; Callisto as Ursa Major and Arcas as Bootes. Hera, seeing that Callisto was now being revered in the heavens, she went to her parents, Tethys and Oceanus, gods of the sea, and convinced them to never let Callisto  bathe in the northern waters, which is why if you are in the northern hemisphere Ursa Major never sets below the horizon.

I thought that this was a very sad story, and quite unfortunate too; but then again so are many of the stories of the other constellations. Oh well, these are the stories that made these constellations so I'm not going to complain! Well, until next time! Just keeping following the stars!