The word Arctic comes from the Greek word ἀρκτικός arktikos “near the Bear, northern”[4] and from the word ἄρκτος arktos meaning “bear,” named for either the constellation known as Ursa Major, the “Great Bear”, which is prominent in the northern portion of the celestial sphere,[5][6] or the constellation Ursa Minor, the “Little Bear”, which contains the celestial north pole (currently very near Polaris, the current north Pole Star, or North Star).[7]