Additional information from the
constellation Ursa Major:
There were several legends and mythological connections to Ursa Major. In addition to the Greek version, the Great Bear represents Callisto, daughter of Lycaon, who was the old King of Arcadia. Callisto was loved by Jupiter, who changed her into a bear to protect her from Juno. Callisto was almost inadvertently killed by her son Arcas. To stop this from happening, Jupiter changed Arcas to a little bear (Ursa Minor) and placed them both in the sky near each other.
In England, the dipper is sometimes referred to as either the Plough or Charles's Wain.
Stars of Ursa Major:
Mizar
* Alioth
* * Megrez * Dubhe
Benetnasch *
* *
Phad Merak
Note: Mizar also has a faint associated star called
Alcor. The Arabic culture called these two
stars 'the horse and rider', and they were
considered to be a test for good eyesight
if one could see both stars.
Merak and Dubhe, the two stars at the front of the 'bowl' of the dipper, also point towards Polaris, or the North Star.