The Big Dipper isn't part of the solar system. It's an asterism, a recognizable pattern of stars, within the constellation Ursa Major (the Great Bear).

Here's the breakdown:

* Solar System: This is our own planetary system, centered around the Sun, which includes Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and all the other planets and their moons.

* Constellations: These are groups of stars that we perceive as patterns in the night sky. They are formed by stars that are located at vastly different distances from Earth.

* Asterisms: These are smaller recognizable patterns of stars within a constellation. The Big Dipper is one of the most famous asterisms within the constellation Ursa Major.

So, while we see the Big Dipper as a familiar shape in our sky, the stars that form it are scattered throughout space, much farther away than our own solar system.