The Big Dipper is not a constellation, but an asterism - a recognizable pattern of stars within a constellation. The seven stars that make up the Big Dipper are all part of the constellation Ursa Major (the Great Bear).

Here are the seven stars, from the end of the "handle" to the "bowl":

1. Alkaid (Eta Ursae Majoris): The star at the end of the handle.

2. Mizar (Zeta Ursae Majoris): The second star from the end of the handle.

3. Alioth (Epsilon Ursae Majoris): The brightest star in the Big Dipper.

4. Megrez (Delta Ursae Majoris): The "middle" star of the bowl.

5. Dubhe (Alpha Ursae Majoris): The star at the top of the bowl.

6. Merak (Beta Ursae Majoris): The star below Dubhe, forming one side of the bowl.

7. Phecda (Gamma Ursae Majoris): The star at the opposite end of the bowl from Dubhe.