Once upon a time, in an age of gods and heroes, there was a woman named Callisto. She was a nymph, a spirit of the land, and the dear friend and hunting companion of the goddess Artemis. They ran through the countryside, frolicking through the forest, hunting wild animals, communing with nature and being free from the rules and expectations of society.
One day, she was wooed and pursued by the god Zeus, with whom she bore a child. Zeus was cheating on his wife, the goddess Hera, and she became angered and vengeful. Trying to protect Callisto and her son from Hera’s wrath, Zeus transformed them into bears. Yet Hera outsmarted Zeus and used her cunning to deceive Artemis by tricking her into hunting them down. Artemis was the goddess of archery and hunting, and the greatest archer of all time. She shot down the bears from far away, mistakenly slaying one of her closest companions.
In the loss and tragedy of these deaths, Zeus decided to elevate Callisto and her son into the heavens so they could spend eternity safely together, creating the constellations of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Yet Hera got the last laugh, and placed the great and fearsome dragon Draco between them. Every night, Callisto seeks to reunite with her son, and every night, Draco’s serpentine, starry form prevents them from ever reuniting.
This myth, while tragic and brutal, illustrates the interweaving of story and science preserved in some myths. It identifies three separate constellations, creates identities and origins for them, while explaining a natural phenomenon: the perceivable rotation of the Earth on its axis.
Ursa Major is one of the most well-known constellations in the night sky. Ursa Major is the official constellation name according to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), while the Big Dipper is an asterism. An asterism is a prominent pattern or group of stars, such as the Big Dipper, Orion’s Belt, or the Summer Triangle.
The dipper itself refers to a ladle, with a handle made of three stars, and a dip made of four. It is also known as the Plough, the Wagon or the Chariot. Cultural values and references shape our perception of the sky above. In Xaayda Kil, the word for the constellation is Kuu kiidawaay, which means “sea otter stretcher.”
Another Xaayda Kil term I found in the SHIP dictionary is Kuu kiidawaay Gaad hlGaajuuGuuhlda, which is an expression said when the Big Dipper turns over. This is in reference to the beautiful shifting of the night sky, most dramatically observed by looking at the Big Dipper. Each night, the Big Dipper moves around a central point in the sky like the hour hand of a celestial clock, visually indicating our Earth’s rotation on its axis.
The Earth’s axis refers to the slant of the Earth on its orbital plane, and is visualized as an imaginary line that goes through the Earth at 23.45 degrees. The point in the sky that this axis extends out to appears as a fixed, unmoving point in space, while the rest of the sky appears to rotate around this central point. This creates the illusion of the sun rising and setting, as well as the movement of the night sky. In the Northern Hemisphere, this point is referred to as the celestial north pole or true north.
This axis is not the only imaginary line we draw on the Earth! We also like to draw a line to indicate the magnetic pole. When you find north using a compass, the compass points to magnetic north, which is different from true north. Magnetic north varies all around the globe, while true north stays the same. On nautical charts, you will often see magnetic declination indicated, which is a numerical difference in degrees between the two norths.
Over time, the magnetic pole shifts due to the dynamic nature of our Earth’s iron core.
Fun fact! Our Earth’s iron core also creates a shield of magnetic energy called the magnetosphere that protects us from solar radiation that would kill all life on Earth — and instead creates beautiful aurora!
Thanks, iron core. Keep on slaying!
Within one degree of the point that our Earth’s axis (pole) points to is a star named Polaris — aka the Pole Star, aka the North Star. The North Star is approximately 433 light-years away, and is actually composed of three stars — one big bright one, and two smaller ones.
Polaris is found within the constellation of Ursa Minor, the “Lesser Bear” — aka the Little Dipper. The Little Dipper bears a striking resemblance to the Big Dipper in the arrangement of its stars.
The stars Dubhe (from Arabic al-dubu, “the bear”) and Merak (from Arabic al-marāqq, “the loins”) point towards Polaris, making them incredibly useful for finding celestial north. They are often referred to as “the Pointers” for this reason.
Polaris is a star of significant value and importance within our worldwide civilization. It has been used for celestial navigation for centuries, helping people cross thousands of kilometres of land and ocean. Our relationship with this star changed the course of human history, allowing for vast international trade routes and imperial expansion.
The phrase “north star” in the English language refers to something of great importance that you centre your life around. It helps guide you towards your destination, helping you achieve your goals. It functions as a symbol of hope, guidance, stability, purpose, dedication and perseverance.
By finding this star and facing north, you can align yourself with the heavens above and the Earth below. You can track where the sun and moon will rise and set. You can gain a greater understanding of your relationship with the world around you.
Isn’t it special? Humanity has used a star trillions of kilometres away to help navigate our own little lives on this planet.
Keep on looking up, friends. Keep on making connections to the stars. Let their light guide you in the darkest of times.
Wishing you clear skies,
Vera