Septentriones

Septentriones is a classical Latin term that literally means the seven northern ones, from septem “seven” and triones, a word associated with a team of oxen. In Roman astronomy and navigation it referred to the northern sky and, in particular, to the seven bright stars that form the most conspicuous asterism in Ursa Major—the Big Dipper. This group of seven stars was widely used as a navigational marker to locate true north and to orient calendars and seasonal observations. In Latin literature, septentriones could denote the north in general as well as the star group itself, serving both practical and poetic functions as a symbol of the northern heavens.

Etymology and modern usage: The term derives from Latin roots for “seven” and “oxen,” yielding the modern adjective septentrional meaning northern. In contemporary astronomy, septentriones is not a formal designation; Ursa Major is referred to by its constellation name or by the Big Dipper asterism.

Cultural significance: The septentriones illustrate how ancient cultures named and used prominent star groups for orientation, reflecting a practical approach to the night sky rather than a formal asterism designation.

See also: Ursa Major; Big Dipper; septentrional.