Recognizing the Stars [ 413 



this line through the top of the Dipper for five times that length, 

 it will end at the North Star. For this reason, the two stars at the 

 Dipper's bowl are often called the "pointers." 



All four stars that form the bowl of the Dipper and the three 

 that make the handle are of about the same degree of brightness, 

 making the form of a dipper especially clear. If you keep track 

 of the Dipper for three or four hours, you will see that it is moving 

 like a giant clock hand "counterclockwise," however around 

 Polaris. Unless you look carefully you may not see the stars con- 

 tained within the bowl of the Dipper; but with close observation 

 on a clear night, you should be able to distinguish ten or twelve 

 faint stars. 



THE LITTLE BEAR AND THE LITTLE DIPPER 



You will not find the Little Bear so easily as the Big Bear, 

 for many of its stars are dim and may be overlooked in moonlight 

 or haze. Seven of its stars form the Little Dipper, with the bright 

 North Star forming the free end of the handle. The two stars that 

 correspond to the pointers in the Big Dipper (farthest from the 

 handle) are also bright. These two stars are known as "the 

 guardians of the pole" because they circle closer to it and to Polaris 

 than do any other bright stars. 



THE WINDING DRAGON 



Winding about the Dippers is Draco, the Dragon. To locate 

 it, you must look for a stream of stars that starts near the pointers 

 in the Big Dipper. From there the dragon makes a semicircle 

 around the guardians of the pole, then turns sharply back for 

 some distance; the dragon's head lies between a very bright star, 

 Vega, and the guardians. 



CASSIOPEIA AND CEPHEUS 



Cassiopeia is nearly directly opposite the Big Dipper, on 

 the other side of the pole. Hence, when one of these constellations 

 is not in a good position for observation, the other is. Five of the 

 brighter stars of Cassiopeia form a gianf irregular W (or M, de- 



