Ursa Major - The Great (Polar??) Bear

The Canes Venatici constellation from 'Uranographia' by
Johannes Hevelius, 1690. The view is mirrored following
the tradition of celestial globes, showing the celestial
sphere in a view from 'ouside'

Ursa Major is a constellation visible throughout the year
in most of the northern hemisphere - oh, is it actually a
POLAR bear? - It is dominated by a pattern of stars,
known as the Big Dipper or Plough, which is a useful pointer
toward north, the and which has mythological significance
in numerous world cultures

My photo: The Museum of the History of Science, Oxford