Great (Big) Bear (Dipper)

Circumpolar constellation Ursa Major wheels low in the northwest sky in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on the evening of October 7, 1974. The seven brightest stars of Ursa Major, the Great Bear, make up the familiar asterism "Big Dipper." The ancient Greeks and Native Americans saw the Dipper as a bear, but other cultures saw it--among other things--as a hippopotamus, river boat, wagon, pulling plough, drinking gourd and bushel measure. Seen above the Dipper in this picture are three stars that make up a section of the constellation Draco, the Dragon. This 15-minute time exposure, shot along 30th Street Drive SE just east of Tama Street, was begun around 8:30 PM. Today's posting is a created duotone from an original black and white photo.