Great and Little Bear constellations in the northern hemisphere. 1896. Chromium lithography.From Ганс Крэмер, „Вселенная и человечество. История исследования природы и приложения ее сил на службу человечеству“, Санкт-Петербург, т-во „Просвещение“, t. 3, 1896.Ursa Major (Latin: "Larger Bear"; also known as the Great Bear and Charles' Wain) is a constellation visible throughout the year in most of the northern hemisphere. It can be seen best in the month of April. It is dominated by the widely recognized asterism known as the Big Dipper or the Plough, which is a useful pointer towards the north, and it has mythological significance in numerous world cultures.Ursa Minor (Latin: "Smaller Bear", contrasting with Ursa Major), also known as the Little Bear, is a constellation in the northern sky. Like the Great Bear, the tail of the Little Bear may also be seen as the handle of a ladle, hence the name Little Dipper. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations. Ursa Minor is notable as the location of the north celestial pole, although this will change after some centuries due to the precession of the equinoxes. Polaris, the brightest star in the constellation, is a yellow-white supergiant and brightest Cepheid variable star, ranging from apparent magnitude 1.97 to 2.00. Beta Ursae Minoris is only slightly fainter, with its apparent magnitude of 2.08. Also known as Kochab, it is an orange giant star, 16 degrees from Polaris. It and magnitude 3 Gamma Ursae Minoris have been called the 'guardians of the pole star'. Four stellar systems have been discovered to contain planets.Approx. image size 21 x 13, 8/28 x 19, 7 cm.

Condition: good.