Big Dipper or Big Bear: You Decide

   As a Boy Scout, I had a very cool set of glow-in-the-dark star cards with all of the constellations in phosphorescent green. At night, you could charge up the card with a flashlight, then go out onto a field and have a visible map of the constellations in your hand.  
   I'll admit, I had a hard time seeing all those animals, people and creatures up there among the stars at night but I tried to apply my imagination into seeing the patterns in the night sky. I especially like illustrations which tried to visualize the various groupings. Here is a fine set of such images.

Ursa Major, the Big Bear, or what we know as the Big Dipper

Aquarius, the Water Bearer

Bootes, the Herdsman

Cancer, the Crab

Big Dog and Rabbit

Equus, the Horse

Gemini, the Twins

Hydra and Various Items

Orion, the Hunter

Pisces, the Fish

Sagittarius, the Archer

The Scorpion

Taurus, the Bull

The Virgin