What does the Big Dipper consist of?

[flobadob]

When you look at the Big Dipper in the night sky it is made up of seven noticeable stars and sort of looks like a saucepan with a bent handle. My question is, what does each one of those stars consist of, for example are they single entities, or galaxies, or planets, or what?

[Azalian]

They are seven stars named ,from the "handle" end
ALKAID
MIZAR (and algol) a2 components of a multiple star system in orbit aruond each other.
ALIOTH
MEGREZ
then down to
PHECDA
across to MERAK then up to DUBHE.

The stars Merak and Dubhe are known as the Pointers since if you imagine a line connecting them and extend in up about 5 times the distance between you will reach Polaris, the Pole Star.

All the stars are at widely different distances from our Sun ,except the Mizar group which lie close to each other.

[dundurn]

Also the stars are moving in different directions relative to each other and to us so the shape they make has only existed for a certan length of time and will "disappear" one day. I seem to remember that at some point in the future tthey will resemble a giant arrow. The celestial pole also moves around on a regular basis and although the Pole Star will always be "North" of most places in the world other stars will be closer to the true pole at some time in the future.
I think Mizar's companion is actually called Alcor. Algol is a famous variable star in Perseus.

[flobadob]

Thanks, but when you give the names of the stars, what is in each of the names, is it loads of smaller entities, or just one large one, like our sun?

[Azalian]

Sorry, dundurn, Alcor it is.

[Bbbananas]

sour cream and chive

[Azalian]

In 100,00 years the dipper will appear almost upside down to its present configuration.

Merak, Dubhe and Phecda will be the handle and Mizar and Alioth as the bottom of the dipper.

Actually, 5 of the present constellation are relatively close together and move as a group while Dubhe and Alkaid are outside the group and move seperately.

There will also be a new star in the group as Zeta Herculis, now far away in Hercules in "rush in" from the top right to arrive just below Alkaid in the sky.

[Azalian]

In 100,000 years the dipper will appear almost upside down to its present configuration.

Merak, Dubhe and Phecda will be the handle and Mizar and Alioth as the bottom of the dipper.

Actually, 5 of the present constellation are relatively close together and move as a group while Dubhe and Alkaid are outside the group and move seperately.

There will also be a new star in the group as Zeta Herculis, now far away in Hercules in "rush in" from the top right to arrive just below Alkaid in the sky.