Myth and The Stars

The Ancient Greeks placed their deities in the night skies. Perseus, Poseidon, Oceanus and Cassiepoiea are just a few of the Greek deities whose symbolic representation in the night sky have carried right through into our age.

Most people recognize what we call 'The Big Dipper' and also 'The Little Dipper' which are both 'sets' or 'patterns' of stars called constellations by both scientists and storytellers.

The 'tail' of the Big Dipper is actually the tail of 'The Great Bear - Ursa Major.' (Approximate physical location - for those who are astronomy buffs: right ascension 10.67 hours, declination 55.38). The tail of The Great Bear can be used to connect the viewer's eye with another important constellation which will be explained shortly. The Ancient Greek myth, wrapped up within the Ursa Major - Great Bear star pattern, is as follows:

Zeus had another wife 'on the side,' named 'Callisto' - besides also having his more 'famous' wife, Hera. When Hera found out about Callisto (also spelled, Kallisto), and after Callisto had a son with Zeus, Hera then turned Callisto into a bear! As Callisto's son grew, he became a skilled hunter. One day, Hera - still seeking revenge over Zeus' adulterous past - put Callisto out in the open to be killed by the skilled hunter-son, named Arcas. Zeus, realizing what was happening in time and seeing that Hera intended for Callisto to be killed by their (Zeus' and Callisto's) own son - snatched Callisto in her bear form, and placed her in the sky among the stars! At least there, she was safe from harm.

Ursa Major=The Great Bear is Callisto, another of Zeus' wives, placed into the sky - safe forever.

Ursa Minor, which most of us call 'The Little Dipper,' (approximate location: right ascension 14.78 hours, declination 74.36) is also known as 'The Lesser Bear.'

The Lesser Bear is conveniently and directly related to The Greater Bear, and is said to be Callisto's son, also and later placed into the sky by Zeus.

More deliberately than through these Greek tales, the constellations are important because they are part of the first accurate navigational system ever used. Even to use them to navigate on land or sea, one must 'navigate the eye' through the two constellations. Navigation with the eye through the 'Greater' constellation allows you to find the more important star in the 'Lesser' constellation that will allow one to find their way on earth or by sea.

Actually, the stars of Ursa Minor are quite hard for the naked eye to pick out - however, the last star in the tail of of the constellation (remember - also called 'Lesser Bear') is fairly distinct and bright to us down on Earth, once we know where to be looking for it.

This star in the Lesser Bear tail is The North Star. The North Star has guided everyone from ancient peoples, the Magi, and sailors of old. It is still an excellent emergency marker for anyone who gets lost at sea or on land in our day and age.

Because the smaller, dimmer constellation is harder to see, when trying to locate the North Star, one should look for Ursa Major - The Big Dipper - first. Then locate where the two stars in 'the cup' of the Big Dipper are opposite the tail.....and follow them straight out. The first star that you will come across is the North Star, which is in the constellation Ursa Minor - The Lesser Bear - The Little Dipper.

From this star you will always be able to find your way, and always know what direction you’re facing. It never sinks below the horizon, so it is always able to be seen...which brings us back to MYTH again...

Hera was more than upset that Zeus saved Callisto/Kallisto. Hera was infuriated that Zeus had made Callisto 'forever eternal' and that Callisto would be honoured and noticed by everyone looking to the stars for all time. Hera went to Olympian brother, Poseidon, and convinced him (more likely, 'tricked him') to make sure that Callisto would never have the luxury of ever bathing in the sea again.

This is why the North Star never sinks below the horizon, according to Mythology.

To the ancient Greeks, the point at which the eye could view the horizon was, to their knowledge, where Poseidon's Realm and Zeus' Realm joined - that is, Sky and Sea joined at the horizon. Since Zeus controlled the realm of Sky and Poseidon, the vast areas of the Seas, Hera made sure that if Callisto was going to live forever in Zeus' sky - she wouldn't have the option of also touching Poseidon's Seas to bathe. Poseidon forbade Callisto to ever touch his waters. Thus, The Greater Bear never wanders low enough to breach the horizon, to dip in Poseidon's seas, and we can always see it.

The common modern name of 'The Big Dipper' also has some connection back to the ancient myth, for some say that Callisto often 'wanders' near to the sea, to ask Poseidon to change his mind and let her 'dip' into the sea to bathe. Poseidon always refuses her request, afraid that Hera will find out and punish him. This added piece corresponds with the need to explain the motion of the constellations to our sight - how the constellations appear to 'shift' during certain seasons and how stars appear to 'sink' lower in the sky or 'drop into the ocean.' It explains why some stars actually disappear from view during certain seasons (they are in Poseidon's sea, they are being cleansed by the Poseidon, or they are deities/heroes who visit Poseidon for part of the year).

There are, of course, several other versions of mythical explanation surrounding the Great and the Lesser Bear constellations. Another version has Artemis as the angered deity who transforms Kallisto into a bear. Here, Artemis' reason for being upset was that due to Kallisto's sexual relationship with Zeus, Artemis lost a chaste and pure companion...so the 'constellation explanation,' this second version - probably acted as a multiple message about 'sexuality,' 'virginity,' and 'loyalty,' at one time as well.