The Big Dipper's seven stars form a ladle shape within the much larger constellation Ursa Major.

Polaris sits almost directly above Earth's North Pole, so it stays fixed while other stars wheel around it.

In 1922 the International Astronomical Union recognized 88 constellations covering the whole sky, a figure often confused with the 12 zodiac signs.

Extending Crux's long axis about four times its length points toward the South Celestial Pole.