We in England now call it the Plough at one time quite a number of years ago - yet within MY memory it was called "Charles' Wain" - wain being AFAIK a hay wagon.
The Americans call it the big Dipper  not UK
Kveðja
Patricia
Another word or phrase in English that seems to reach to the Norse Languages - I shall add that to my collection
 
-------Original Message-------
 
From: akoddsson
Date: 21/10/2006 21:04:41
Subject: [norse_course] Rögnis reið - Wodens wagon
 

In Dutch/Hollandic the star-constellation called karlsvagninn (Ice.),
karlsvognen (Dan.), big-dipper (Eng.) is called Woens waghen - that
is, Óðins vagn. Óðinn is called Rögnir, and the term Rögnis reið
occurs in Völsunga Saga/Sigrdrífumá l, likely meaning 'Óðins vagn'. ON
Rögnis reið is solid, but I'm not sure how old *karls vagninn is;
nevertheless, Óðinn is called Karl in some old sources. A good Modern
English term would be Wodens wagon.

-K