Following the Great Bear – Luna & the Winter Stars
Follow the Great Bear constellation across the winter sky with Luna in this awe-inspiring animated bedtime tale for young star-gazers and dreamers aged 2–7.
About This Video
On the coldest, clearest nights of winter, the stars are brightest — the atmosphere is dry and still and every star is visible that will ever be visible from this place on Earth. Luna wraps in a blanket, goes into the garden, and finds the Great Bear: seven bright stars in the shape she has always been able to find, the one she returns to each clear night as to an old friend. From the Great Bear she finds the North Star, from the North Star she finds every other direction, and from direction she finds every other constellation waiting to be met for the first time.
Perfect for children aged 2 to 7 who want to learn to find constellations. On the first clear winter night, go outside with a blanket and find the Great Bear together — it is always visible from the northern hemisphere. A torch in red mode is the best light to use. Free.
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Parents' Questions
What constellations does Luna find in the Following the Great Bear winter star story?
Luna's star navigation follows the classic beginner's route across the winter sky. She starts with the Great Bear (Ursa Major) — seven stars in a saucepan shape that is circumpolar, meaning visible every clear night from the northern hemisphere. From the two stars on the saucepan's far edge, she draws an imaginary line five times their separation and finds Polaris — the North Star, always in the north, always fixed while other stars rotate around it through the night. From Polaris she finds Cassiopeia (a W-shape opposite the Great Bear), and then the winter showpiece: Orion, with its three-star belt, the bright stars Betelgeuse and Rigel, and the Orion Nebula visible on very dark nights.
How can families use Following the Great Bear to begin stargazing together?
The Great Bear (Ursa Major) and the North Star are the best starting points for beginner stargazers because the Great Bear is always visible from the northern hemisphere on any clear night, and finding it teaches the navigation principle that unlocks every other constellation. Go outside on the first clear night after watching, face north, and look for the seven-star saucepan shape — it will be there. Once you find it, use the two stars on the far edge of the saucepan to point to Polaris. Then explore from there. A red-light torch (or a phone with red-light mode) preserves night vision without destroying the darkness.
What age is Following the Great Bear Luna winter stars story designed for?
Designed for children aged 2 to 7. Young children aged 2 to 4 love joining in the star-finding mission and learning the name 'Great Bear'. Children aged 5 to 7 can find the Great Bear and North Star independently after watching — a genuinely useful navigational skill that requires no equipment and is available on any clear night for the rest of their lives. One of the most immediately actionable videos in the Luna series: the first clear night after watching, go outside. The Great Bear will be there.
