Ursa Major said of the seven stars pictured in the bordure azure of the coat of arms of Madrid, capital of that country. Ursa Major Ursa Major (; also known as the Great Bear) is a constellation in the northern sky, whose associated mythology likely dates back into prehistory. Its Latin name means "greater (or larger) she-bear", standing as a reference to and in direct contrast with nearby Ursa Minor, the lesser bear. In antiquity, it was one of the original 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy (2nd century AD), and is now the third largest constellation of the 88 modern constellations. Ursa
Ursa Minor "septentrio", from "septem" (seven) and "triones" (oxen), from seven oxen driving a plough, which the seven stars also resemble. This name has also been attached to the main stars of Ursa Major. In Inuit astronomy, the three brightest stars—Polaris, Kochab and Pherkad—were known as "Nuutuittut" "never moving", though the term is more frequently used in the singular to refer to Polaris alone. The Pole Star is too high in the sky at far northern latitudes to be of use in navigation. In Chinese astronomy, the main stars of Ursa Minor are divided between two asterisms: 勾陳 "Gòuchén" (Curved Array) (including