How many stars make up the Big Dipper?

The Big Dipper forms from seven stars: Alkaid, Mizar, Alioth, Megrez, Phad, Merak and Dubhe. The stars in the Big Dipper appear in skies over the Northern Hemisphere, arranging in a distinct pattern that forms the handle and bowl of the Dipper. In addition to forming the Big Dipper, the seven stars appear close to Polaris, the North Star, providing a sense of direction and orientation.

The Big Dipper's two most prominent stars include Alkaid, which forms the tip of its handle and Dubhe, which extends farthest from Alkaid. Dubhe, in Arabic, translates to "Great Bear." Dubhe classifies as a pointer star, along with nearby Merzak. These two stars lead directly to Polaris, the North Star, and to Regulus, a star in the constellation Leo.