Little Dipper, Big Dipper, & Really Big Dipper?

Of course everyone has heard of the little and big dipper. But what about the even bigger dipper? I've only began to notice this about 6 months ago and it kind of has me puzzled because I've never heard of it What's even more weird is that at the tail end of the Bigger Dipper there is a bright star that I think is Arcturus? The lay out is almost identical to the big dipper, w/ the exception of orions belt. But to have the same shape, and to both have really bright stars at the end of it is really strange to me. Is anyone else noticing this? I'm in central tx so right now it's pretty much in the eastern sky. Someone please enlighten me..

[edit on 1-3-2009 by -NewSense-]

I'm in Central texas too, i've noticed it. but really don't know what to think of it......
Coincedences do happen though.


By the way, tonight is a really good night for stargazing. Rarely a cloud out there right now

[edit on 1-3-2009 by Republican08]

I'm just going to take a wild guess and say that you are probably combining some stars from the constellation Orion with Sirius and Saturn which is nearby. Connecting all of these may look like a big dipper.

Saturn is really easy to spot right now and with a small telescope you can see the rings which are nearly edge on and look like a line through the planet.

Anyways, without knowing more I would say you are just making your own constellation, which is how people came up with them in the first place I guess. But your constellation wont last very long if there's a planet as part of it...

No, orion is the in western sky and there are not planets in this other group that make up the bigger dipper. I've used stellarium to cooberate this. I'll try to get some screen shots. There's no way I'm picking and choosing to make up my own constellation. It's very obvious.

Here are some screen shots I took using stellarium. One by itself, the other w/ circles around the main visual stars.

img216.imageshack.us...
img70.imageshack.us...

:\ Sooo, either no one cares or this is just an ignorant thread on my part.

I'd really appreciate some input. I know for a fact I've never been taught that there was a bigger dipper than the big dipper. Someone? Anyone?

The Big Dipper and Little Dipper are actually Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Bears. They were not seen as "dippers" originally.

The point was made that the patterns seen in the sky are not real, they are things made up by people. A long time ago someone said, "Hey look, a big bear!". His buddy said "Huh? Hey yeah, I see it too. And look there's it's baby!"

With all the stars that are visible in the night sky, the number of constellations that the human mind can come up with is nearly infinite (not really, but you get my point). It's like seeing shapes in the clouds. I've often tried to invent my own constellations. If you look a bit more you may find a tiny "dipper" too.

[edit on 3/2/2009 by Phage]

NewSense: I figured you answered your own question by going to Stellarium and seeing that what you are looking at is just two constellations that you have formed into one.

Also you said this: "The lay out is almost identical to the big dipper, w/ the exception of orions belt." which I dont get.

Like Phage said, look long enough to the sky and you will see Gumby riding Pokey chasing Mr. Bill (I have).

Essentially a dipper is just a box with a line, pretty common up there.

reply to post by salsaking

Essentially a dipper is just a box with a line, pretty common up there.

Aha! Pegasus for example.

Originally posted by -NewSense-
Here are some screen shots I took using stellarium. One by itself, the other w/ circles around the main visual stars.

img216.imageshack.us...
img70.imageshack.us...

Now, if you include the star "Spica" you would have a really, really, big dipper (or at least a dipper with an extremely long handle)


[edit on 3/2/2009 by Soylent Green Is People]