little dipper | EarthSky

A dipper-shaped star pattern with a pink arrow going from 2 stars to a distant star in another dipper.

Kochab and Pherkad: Outer bowl stars of the Little Dipper

Kochab and Pherkad are stars in the Little Dipper asterism. Maybe you can find the Big Dipper but not the Little Dipper? This post will help.

A red arrow from 2 stars in the Big Dipper to the star Polaris, in the Little Dipper.

The Big and Little Dipper: How to find them in spring

You can spot the Big and Little Dipper in the northern sky year-round. Follow the Big Dipper’s pointer stars to find Polaris and the Little Dipper.

Star chart: Big and Little Dippers with red arrow from bowl stars to Polaris.

Big and Little Dippers in the northern sky on June evenings

How can you see both the Big and Little Dippers? On June evenings, the Big Dipper is high in the north. Let it be your guide to the Little Dipper.

Use the Big Dipper to find the Little Dipper

Polaris marks the end of the handle of the Little Dipper. The 2 outer stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper point to Polaris and help you find the Little Dipper.

Star chart: Big and Little Dippers with an arrow pointing to Polaris from pointer stars.

Ursa Minor the Lesser Bear is the Little Dipper

Ursa Minor is the Lesser Bear, but you might know it as the Little Dipper. Also, its brightest star is Polaris, the North Star.

Check out the Big and Little Dippers

Nice! We published some stories about the Big and Little Dippers and received back some photos. Love it when that happens. Thank you!

Use Big Dipper to find Little Dipper

The Big Dipper is easy to recognize, but the Little Dipper ... not so much. Here's a tip that can help.

Find the Little Dipper

The Big Dipper is easy to find. But the Little Dipper isn't. How to find the Little Dipper using the Big Dipper as a guide.

Closeup of up 2 stars. Alcor, on the left, is smaller and yellowish, Mizar, on the right, is bigger and blue-white.

Mizar and Alcor in the bend of the Big Dipper

Mizar and Alcor are a famous pair of stars located at the bend of the handle of the Big Dipper. But what we see as 2 stars are really 6 stars!

Sky chart linking 2 stars in the Big Dipper to Polaris with an arrow, with 5 stars labeled.

Use the Big Dipper to find Polaris, the North Star

Do you know how to find the North Star? The 2 outer stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper point to Polaris, the North Star. It's quick and easy!

Sky chart: 2 labeled constellations with a purple line from each leading to Polaris in the middle.

Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper in January skies

Watch the celestial clock and its 2 great big hour hands - Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper - as they swing around the North Star each and every night!

The Big Dipper, the Pointers and Polaris

Want to find Polaris, the North Star? The entire northern sky turns around it. If you can find the Big Dipper, you can always find Polaris.

Chart of Big Dipper with stars labeled, including Mizar in handle with a tiny dot next to it.

The Big Dipper: Why can’t you see it now?

The Big Dipper is easy to recognize at most times of the year. But the Big Dipper in autumn rides low in the northern sky in the evening hours.

Star chart showing Big Dipper, Little Dipper and Polaris with stars labeled.

Why can’t I find the Big Dipper in September?

On northern autumn evenings, the famous Big Dipper lies low on - or even below - the northern horizon. You can use it to find Polaris, the North Star.

Star chart: Lion-shaped constellation Leo below, and a few stars linked with lines above.

Meet the constellation Leo Minor the Little Lion

Leo Minor the Little Lion is a dim constellation that sits upon the back of the larger Leo the Lion. Read about how to see it in April and May skies.

Big Dipper (Sky Bear) comes to Earth in November

Every year, the Big Dipper (Great Bear) descends to its lowest point in the sky on November evenings. This makes it difficult, or impossible, to see.

Dots and lines making the shape of the Big Dipper plus the longer form including the head and legs of Ursa Major.

Ursa Major the Great Bear, home to the Big Dipper

Ursa Major the Great Bear is in Northern Hemisphere skies and is home to the asterism of the Big Dipper, which you can use to find other constellations.

Use Big Dipper to locate Hunting Dogs

Find out how to use the Big Dipper to find the constellation Canes Venatici, also known as the Hunting Dogs, which contains the stars Chara and Asterion.

Star chart showing Big and Little Dippers, and constellation Draco.

Polaris and Thuban via the Big Dipper in July

Polaris and Thuban have this in common: both reside, or have resided, at the apex of Earth's sky. That is, both are famous pole stars.

Star chart with arrow from Big Dipper to North Star Polaris

Big Dipper stars point to North Star

The 2 outermost stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper always point to the North Star, aka Polaris. That's why astronomers call these stars The Pointers.

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Kochab and Pherkad: Outer bowl stars of the Little Dipper

The Big and Little Dipper: How to find them in spring

Big and Little Dippers in the northern sky on June evenings

Use the Big Dipper to find the Little Dipper

Ursa Minor the Lesser Bear is the Little Dipper

Check out the Big and Little Dippers

Use Big Dipper to find Little Dipper

Find the Little Dipper

Mizar and Alcor in the bend of the Big Dipper

Use the Big Dipper to find Polaris, the North Star

Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper in January skies

The Big Dipper, the Pointers and Polaris

The Big Dipper: Why can’t you see it now?

Why can’t I find the Big Dipper in September?

Meet the constellation Leo Minor the Little Lion

Big Dipper (Sky Bear) comes to Earth in November

Ursa Major the Great Bear, home to the Big Dipper

Use Big Dipper to locate Hunting Dogs

Polaris and Thuban via the Big Dipper in July

Big Dipper stars point to North Star