Actually if you saw it in a small clump, that was most likely the Pleides. You could cover the whole dipper shape with your thumb. Thta's probably too small to show up as anything other than a smudge on your planesphere.<br /><br />Ursa minor is larger, over two hand widths, if you hold your arm out all the way.<br /><br />It is very important to find, since Polaris is at the end of the handle. Once you find the north star and know where it is, orienting yourself is easy. And the nice thing is it's always in exactly the same spot. Any season, day or night, it's always right there. No other object in the sky can make that claim! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>