Ursa Major: The Great Bear

Object:	Ursa Major — the Big Dipper
Location:	Narrowsburg, NY
Observer:	Roland Roberts
Time:	17 Mar 2002, 00:05 EST
Camera:	Pentax Spotmatic, 50 mm f/1.4 lens
Film:	Kodak Elite Chrome II, ISO 200
Exposure:	40 minutes at f/

Ursa Major, the Great Bear, is the official constellation name, but contained within it is the more well known asterism, the Big Dipper. But’s that’s not the only name by which it has been known. Other names include “The Plough,” and “The Wagon.” The full constellation is a bit large to fit into the frame afforded by a 50mm lens, as can be seen in the overlay.

Labeled in both of these pictures are the following objects:

• Galaxies (4): M51 (NGC 5194, NGC 5195, M101, and M108.
• Emission Nebulae (1): M97 (aka the “Owl Nebula”)
• Stars (10): Alkaid, Alcor and Mizar, Alioth, Megrez, Phecda, Merak, Dubhe, Giausar, and Thuban. The latter two are in the constellation Draco