Name/TitleBadge: Plough constellation
About this objectRound pin badge (slightly chipped) featuring seven white stars in the formation of the plough, or big dipper, constellation against a dark blue background
Periodlate 20th century
Medium and MaterialsInorganic, metal and plastic
MeasurementsDia: 25 mm
Subject and Association Descriptionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Dipper:
The Big Dipper (US, Canada) or the Plough (UK, Ireland) is a large asterism consisting of seven bright stars of the constellation Ursa Major; six of them are of second magnitude and one, Megrez (δ), of third magnitude. Four define a "bowl" or "body" and three define a "handle" or "head". It is recognized as a distinct grouping in many cultures. The North Star (Polaris), the current northern pole star and the tip of the handle of the Little Dipper (Little Bear), can be located by extending an imaginary line through the front two stars of the asterism, Merak (β) and Dubhe (α). This makes it useful in celestial navigation.
Cultural associations:
The "Seven Stars" referenced in the Bible's Book of Amos may refer to these stars or, more likely, to the Pleiades. In addition, the asterism has also been used in corporate logos and the Alaska flag. The seven stars on a red background of the Flag of the Community of Madrid, Spain, are the stars of the Big Dipper Asterism. The same can be said about the seven stars pictured in the bordure azure of the Coat of arms of Madrid, capital city of Spain. The asterism's prominence on the north of the night sky produced the adjective "septentrional" (literally, pertaining to seven plow oxen) in Romance languages and English, meaning "Northern [Hemisphere]". "Follow the Drinkin' Gourd" is an African American folk song first published in 1928. The "Drinkin' Gourd" is thought to refer to the Big Dipper. Folklore has it that escaped southern slaves in the United States used the Big Dipper as a point of reference to go north.
The Constellation was also used on the flag of the Italian Regency of Carnaro within the Ouroboros.
Named CollectionGlasgow Women's Library
Object TypeBadge
Object numberGWL-2015-111-41
Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved