the easiest way is to look for the seven bright stars that make up the big dipper -lrb- which is part of the constellation called ursa major , the great bear -rrb- . ; draw a line between the two stars on the outside of the bowl , extend that line about five times its length -lrb- up from the bowl -rrb- , and there you 'll find polaris , which will always tell you where north is .