North celestial pole. Optical image of stars around the north celestial pole. This is marked by the pole star Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris, upper centre) in the constellation Ursa Minor, the little bear. At lower centre is The Plough (or Big Dipper) in the constellation Ursa Major, the great bear. The two furthest right stars in the Plough, Dubhe (Alpha Ursae Majoris) and Mirak (Beta Ursae Majoris) are known as The Pointers, as a line drawn through them extends to near Polaris. As they are so near the celestial pole, these constellations are circumpolar (never setting) for northern hemisphere observers.