Patchman999
Big Dipper
Click on the pic for a larger and much better view.
Here is a pic of the Big Dipper, likely the most recognized star pattern in the northern sky.
By clicking on the pic for a larger view, you can see the famous double star pair of Mizar and Alcor.
Three stars make up the handle of the dipper, and the middle star of the handle is very close (to our eyes) of another star. The bigger one is Mizar and its smaller, dimmer companion just below in this pic is Alcor. Many people can see them with their naked eyes; others need binoculars to see both stars.
At the time this pic was taken, the bowl of the dipper points down. The 2 stars at the top left as you're looking at the pic, sort of point down to the star, Polaris (not pictured) which always indicates North.
This pic was taken over Tucson, Arizona looking slightly northeast.
If you click on my link to the right, for my Space Stuff album, you can see a similar pic of Orion.
Big Dipper
Click on the pic for a larger and much better view.
Here is a pic of the Big Dipper, likely the most recognized star pattern in the northern sky.
By clicking on the pic for a larger view, you can see the famous double star pair of Mizar and Alcor.
Three stars make up the handle of the dipper, and the middle star of the handle is very close (to our eyes) of another star. The bigger one is Mizar and its smaller, dimmer companion just below in this pic is Alcor. Many people can see them with their naked eyes; others need binoculars to see both stars.
At the time this pic was taken, the bowl of the dipper points down. The 2 stars at the top left as you're looking at the pic, sort of point down to the star, Polaris (not pictured) which always indicates North.
This pic was taken over Tucson, Arizona looking slightly northeast.
If you click on my link to the right, for my Space Stuff album, you can see a similar pic of Orion.