What are 5 facts about the constellation Ursa Major?

Five facts about Ursa Major are: it is also known as the Great Bear, it is the largest constellation in the sky, it has a companion constellation known as Ursa Minor, the body and tail are part of the Big Dipper and most of Ursa Major is circumpolar. Circumpolar means that the constellation can be seen all year long.

There are many myths about Ursa Major and how it came to exist. In one Greek myth, the goddess Hera discovered her husband Zeus was having an affair and turned the woman into a bear. Zeus set the bear in the sky.

Above the head of the Great Bear are two galaxies, M81 and M82. Although both of them are 12 million light years from earth, M81 is one of the brightest galaxies visible in the sky.