The Big Dipper Enhanced
Image Credit & Copyright:
VegaStar Carpentier
Do you see it?
This common question frequently precedes the rediscovery of one of the most commonly recognized configurations of stars on the northern sky: the
Big Dipper.
This grouping of stars is one of the few things that has likely been seen, and will be seen, by
every human generation.
In
this featured image, however, the stars of the
Big Dipper have been digitally enhanced --
they do not really appear this much
brighter than
nearby stars.
The image was taken earlier this month from
France.
The Big Dipper is not by itself a
constellation.
Although part of the constellation of the Great Bear (Ursa Major), the
Big Dipper is an
asterism
that has been known by
different names
to different societies.
Five of the Big Dipper
stars are actually near each other in space and were
likely formed
at nearly the same time.
Relative stellar motions will cause the
Big Dipper to
slowly change its
apparent configuration over the next 100,000 years.