A star in the constellation Ursa. Number of bright stars in the Ursa Major bucket

> Ursa Major

An object	Designation	Meaning of the name	Object type	Magnitude
1	M40	No	Double star	8.40
2	M81	Bode Galaxy	Spiral galaxy	6.90
3	M82	Cigar	Barred spiral galaxy	8.40
4	M97	Owl Nebula	Planetary nebula	9.90
5	M101	Pinwheel	Spiral galaxy	7.90
6	M108	No	Spiral galaxy	10.00
7	M109	No	Spiral galaxy	9.80
8	Aliot	"Black Horse"	Blue-white subdwarf	1.77
9	Dubhe	"Big Bear's Back"	Blue-white subdwarf	1.79
10	Benetnash	"Leader of the Mourners"	Blue subgiant	1.86
11	Mizar	"Belt"	Blue subgiant	2.27
12	Merak	"Groin"	Blue subgiant	2.37
13	Fekda	"Bear Thigh"	Blue subgiant	2.44
14	Psi Ursa Major	No	Orange giant	3.01
15	Iota Ursa Major	"Third Northern"	Blue subdwarf	3.14
16	Theta Ursa Major	No	Binary star system	3.17
17	Megrets	"Base of the tail"	Blue subgiant	3.31
18	Omicron Ursa Major	"Bear Face"	Double star	3.35
19	Lambda Ursa Major	"Second Northern"	Blue subdwarf	3.45
20	Nude of Ursa Major	"First Northern"	Orange giant	3.48
21	Mu Ursa Major	"Second Southern"	Blue subgiant	3.57
22	Kappa Ursa Major	No	Binary star system	3.60
23	X Ursa Major	No	Orange giant	3.69
24	Upsilon Ursa Major	No	Binary star system	3.78
25	Xi Ursa Major	"First Southern"	Binary star system	3.79
26	Alcor	"Forgotten"	Blue subgiant	4.01

How to find constellation Ursa Major in the northern sky: star map, description with photos and diagram, myth, facts, Messier objects, main stars, Big Dipper.

Ursa Major - constellation, which is located in the northern sky and from Latin “Ursa Major” is translated as “big bear”.

Ursa Major in the sky is the largest northern constellation and third in the general list. Bright stars create an asterism that is recognizable to everyone - the Big Dipper, a photo of which can be found on the website. Many cultures knew about him, so many myths were created. In the second century it was cataloged by Ptolemy.

Myth, facts, position and map of the constellation Ursa Major

Ursa Major is not only a large, but also a very ancient constellation, which was mentioned by Homer in the Bible. There are so many stories and tales around the world. The ancient Greeks believed that we're talking about o Callisto is a beautiful nymph who took a vow of celibacy in the temple of Artemis. But Zeus fell in love with her, seduced her, and her son Arcas appeared.

When Artemis found out about this, she drove Callisto away. But then the angry Hera (the wife of Zeus) came into play. She was so offended by the betrayal that she turned the nymph into a bear. In this guise, the girl spent 15 years, living in the forest and hiding from hunters. But Arkas grew up and one day they collided. Arkas was frightened and pulled out a spear, but Zeus managed in time and sent both of them into the sky in a whirlwind. Of course, this angered Hera even more. She asked Ocean and Tethys not to allow the bear to swim in the northern waters. This is why Ursa Major never goes beyond the horizon in northern latitudes.

According to another story, the punishment came from Artemis. Many years later, Callisto and Arcas are captured together and go to King Lycaon as a gift. But they escape and hide in the temple of Zeus. God saves them and sends them to heaven.

There is also a completely different myth about Adastrea. She was a nymph who cared for Zeus as an infant. His father Cronus obeyed the oracle's prediction that the child would overthrow his father and killed all his children. But Rhea (mother) slipped a stone instead of Zeus and saved the baby. Adastrea and Ida fed and looked after him, and in gratitude he sent them to heaven.

The Romans called the constellation Ursa Major "Septentrio" - "seven oxen plows", although only two of them depicted oxen, and the rest - a cart. In Ursa Major they saw different animals: a camel, a shark, a skunk, as well as objects: a sickle, a cart, a canoe. The Chinese call the 7 stars Qiyh Xing after the government. The Hindus had 7 sages, and the constellation is called Saptarshi.

In some Indian tales, the Big Dipper depicted a large bear, and the stars represented warriors who declared a hunt for it. In autumn it drops low, so it is believed that the leaves turn red due to blood dripping from the wounds of the animal.

In late American history, the constellation reflected railway, along which the slaves found their way to the north. There are many songs that the liberated people sang in the south, dreaming of a new life.

Facts, position and map of the constellation Ursa Major

With an area of 1280 square degrees, the constellation Ursa Major is the third largest constellation. Covers the second quadrant in the northern hemisphere (NQ2). Can be found in latitudes from +90° to -30°. Adjacent to , and .

Big Dipper
Lat. Name	Ursa Major
Reduction	UMa
Symbol	Big Dipper
Right ascension	from 7 h 58 m to 14 h 25 m
Declension	from +29° to +73° 30’
Square	1280 sq. degrees (3rd place)
Brightest stars (value< 3 m )	Alioth (ε UMa) - 1.76 m Dubhe (α UMa) - 1.81 m Benetnash (η UMa) - 1.86 m Mizar (ζ UMa) - 2.23 m Merak (β UMa) - 2.34 m Fekda (γ UMa) - 2.41 m
Meteor showers	Ursids Leonids-Ursids April Ursids
Neighboring constellations	The Dragon Giraffe Little Leo Veronica's hair Hound Dogs Bootes
The constellation is visible at latitudes from +90° to -16°. Best time for observation - March.

The main stars of the constellation Ursa Major

You may have seen in the photo what the constellation Ursa Major looks like in the sky, but let's study its stars and the famous asterism.

Asterism – Big Dipper

The Big Dipper is one of the most recognizable asterisms in the night sky, noted in many cultures. In addition, it is also useful in navigation because it points the way to the North Star, which is part of the Little Dipper (Ursa Minor).

If you follow an imaginary line from Merak to Dubhe and continue in an arc, you will reach the North Star.

Likewise, an imaginary line leads to the bright star Arcturus (Bootes) and Spica (Virgo).

Ursa Major consists of 7 stars: Dubhe (Alpha), Merak (Beta), Phekda (Gamma), Megrets (Delta), Alioth (Epsilon), Mizar (Zeta) and Alkaid (Eta).

Aliot(Epsilon Ursa Major) is the brightest star in the constellation (A0pCr) with an apparent visual magnitude of 1.76 and a distance of 81 light years. It ranks 31st in brightness among all stars. The spectrum resembles a variable of the Alpha-2 Canes Venatici type with fluctuations in spectral lines of 5.1 days.

Part of the Ursa Major Moving Group of stars (general speed and origin). In 1869, the group was found by the English astronomer Richard A. Proctor, who guessed that all the stars of the constellation, except Alkaid and Dubhe, shared a common correct movement, heading towards a point in the constellation Sagittarius.

The traditional name comes from the Arabic word alyat - “thick tail of a sheep” (the star is in the bear’s tail).

Dubhe(Alpha Ursa Major) is a spectroscopic double star (K1 II-III) with an apparent magnitude of 1.79 and a distance of 123 light years. The companion is a main sequence star (F0 V) with an orbital period of 44.4 years at a distance of 23 AU.

At 900,000 a.u. from main couple a binary system is located, which makes the star a four-star system.

The name comes from the Arabic dubb - “bear”. Not included in the Ursa Major Moving Group of stars.

Merak(Beta Ursa Major) is a main sequence star (A1 V) with a visual magnitude of 2.37 and a distance of 79.7 light years. There is a dusty disk that occupies 27% of the earth's mass.

The star is 2.7 times more massive than the Sun, 2.84 times larger in radius and 68 times brighter. It is part of the Ursa Major Moving Group of stars and is a suspected variable star.

The name is translated from Arabic as “loins.”

Alkaid(Eta Ursa Major) is a young main sequence star (B3 V) with an apparent visual magnitude of 1.85 and a distance of 101 light years. It ranks third in brightness in the constellation and 35th among all stars. It is the easternmost star in the asterism. At a surface temperature of 20,000 K, it can be seen with the naked eye. Reaches 6 solar masses and is 700 times brighter. Does not belong to the Moving Group of Ursa Major stars."

Despite the position in brightness, Bayer named it "Eta" because he named the stars from west to east. The name is taken from the Arabic phrase qā"id bināt na"sh, which means “leader of the daughters of the pier.”

Fekda(Gamma Ursa Major) is a main sequence star (A0 Ve) with a visual magnitude of 2.438 and a distance of 83.2 light years. It has a gas shell that adds emission lines to its spectrum. Age – 300 million years. It is the lower left star in the Bucket and is 8.5 light years away from the Mizar-Alcor system. Belongs to the Ursa Major Moving Group.

The traditional name comes from the Arabic phrase fakhð ad-dubb - "thigh of the bear."

Megrets(Delta Ursa Major) is a main sequence star (A3 V) with a visual magnitude of 3.312 and a distance of 58.4 light years. 63% more solar mass and 14 times brighter. There is an excess of infrared radiation, indicating disk debris in orbit.

Out of 7 bright stars this is the weakest. "Meghretz" is translated from Arabic as "base" (the base of the bear's tail).

Mizar(Zeta Ursa Major) is a system of two double stars, located in second place from the end. The apparent magnitude is 2.23, and the distance is 82.8 light years. Became the first double star photographed. This happened in 1857 thanks to the American photographer and inventor John A. Whipple and astronomer George P. Bond. They used a wet collodion plate and a 15-inch refracting telescope at the Harvard College Observatory. Bond also photographed the star Vega (Lyra) in 1850.

The name comes from the Arabic mīzar - “belt”.

Alcor(80 Ursa Major) - visual companion to Mizar (A5V) Both stars are sometimes called "Horse and Rider". Visual magnitude is 3.99, and distance is 81.7 light years. She is also called Suha ("forgotten") and Arundhati in India. In 2009, a binary system was found.

Belongs to the Moving Group of stars Ursa Major. The distance between it and Mizar is 1.1 light years.

W Ursa Major– a binary system represented by nearby stars with an orbital period of 0.3336 days. They are so close that their outer shells are in direct contact. Periodically they outshine each other and reduce their brightness. The apparent magnitude of the system varies between 7.75 and 8.48. Spectral class – F8V.

This is the prototype for both the W variables of Ursa Major.

Messier 40(M40, Winnecke 4, WNC 4) is a double star with apparent visual magnitude fluctuations from 9.55 to 10.10. Located 510 light years away. In 1764, it was recorded by Charles Messier, who was searching for a nebula that had previously been reported by Jan Hevelius. In 1863, the star was discovered by Friedrich August Theodor Winnecke.

47 Ursa Major is a main sequence star (G1V) with an apparent magnitude of 5.03 and a distance of 45.9 light years. It is a solar analog with similar mass, slightly hotter and reaching 110% iron.

In 1996, they found a planet 2.53 times the size of Jupiter. Two more planets were discovered in 2002 and 2010.

Nu and Xi of Ursa Major - “first jump”

Alula Northern (Nu Ursa Major) is a double star visible to the naked eye. The apparent magnitude is 3.490, and the distance is 399 light years. This is a giant (K3 III), whose radius is 57 times larger than the Sun and 775 times brighter. The name "Alula Borealis" comes from the Arabic word al-Ūlā - meaning "first (leap)", and the Latin "Borealis" - northern.

Alula South (Xi Ursa Major) is a star system discovered in 1780 by William Herschel. Represented by main sequence dwarfs (G0 Ve) with a total magnitude of 3.79 (4.32 and 4.84), and a distance of 29 light years.

This is the variable star RS Canes Venatici (close double stars with large spots created by the active chromosphere). The spots cause the brightness to change by 0.2 magnitude.

Each of the two Xi system objects acts as a spectroscopic twin and is accompanied by a low-mass satellite. In 1828, Xi became the first double star whose orbit could be calculated.

Nu and Xi are the first of three star pairs, which the ancient Arabs called “jumping gazelles.”

Taniya North (Lambda) and Taniya South (Mu) – “second jump”

Lambda Ursa Major is a star (A2 IV - losing mass and turning into a giant) with an apparent magnitude of 3.45 and a distance of 138 light years.

Mu Ursa Major is a red giant (M0) located 230 light years away. Visual magnitude – 3.06. It is a semi-regular variable star whose brightness ranges between 2.99 and 3.33. Accompanied by a visual satellite distant at 1.5 AU.

Talitha North (Iota) and Talitha South (Kappa) – “third jump”

Iota Ursa Major is a star system consisting of two double stars: a white subgiant (A7 IV), which is a spectroscopic binary object, and stars of the 9th and 10th magnitudes. When component B was spotted in 1841, the two binary stars were separated by 10.7 arcseconds. Now this distance is 4.5 arc seconds. Orbital period is 818 years. The system is 47.3 light years away from us.

Kappa Ursa Major is a double star represented by two A-type main sequence dwarfs with visual magnitudes 4.2 and 4.4. The apparent magnitude of the system is 3.60, and its distance is 358 light years.

Muscida(Omicron Ursa Major) is a multiple star system (G4 II-III - between a giant and a bright giant) with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.35 and a distance of 179 light years. The traditional name means "snout".

Groombridge 1830– subdwarf (G8V), located 29.7 light years away. In the early 19th century, it was discovered and recorded by British astronomer Stephen Groombridge (published in 1838).

At the time of discovery, it was the star with the highest proper motion. Went to third place after the discovery of Kapteyn's star and Barnard's star.

It is a halo star moving in the opposite direction of the galaxy's rotation. Typically, such specimens are poor in metal because they were formed in more early age galaxies. Most halo stars are located above or below the galactic plane. Age – 10 billion years. They have highly eccentric orbits and high escape velocity.

Lalande 21185– a red dwarf (M2V) with an apparent magnitude of 7.520 (cannot be found without technology) and a distance of 8.11 light years. It is the fourth closest star system to ours after Alpha Centauri, Barnard's Star and Wolf 359. In 19,900 years it will come within 4.65 light years of the Sun.

This is the BY Draco variable and is a known source of X-rays.

Psi Ursa Major– an orange giant (K1 III) with a visual magnitude of 3.01 and a distance of 144.5 light years. The Chinese call him Tian Zang or Ta Zun - “extremely honorable.”

Celestial objects of the constellation Ursa Major

Bode Galaxy(M81, NGC 3031) is a bright, large spiral galaxy 11.8 light years distant. Apparent magnitude – 6.94 (very popular among beginners and amateur astronomers).

The apparent size is 26.9 x 14.1 arcminutes. In March 1993, a supernova was spotted - SN 1993J.

In 1774, it was discovered by German astronomer Johann Bode. In 1779, Charles Messier re-identified it and added it to the catalogue.

It is the largest galaxy in the M81 group (34 galaxies), located 10 degrees northwest of the star Dubhe (Alpha Ursa Major).

It interacts with the neighboring galaxies Messier 82 and the smaller NGC 3077. Because of this, they all lost hydrogen gas and formed gaseous filamentary structures. In addition, star formation was activated, caused by interstellar gas falling into the centers of Messier 82 and NGC 3077.

Galaxy Cigar(M82, NGC 3034) is an edge galaxy with an apparent magnitude of 8.41 and a distance of 11.5 million light years.

Star formation in the galactic core is 10 times faster than star formation in the entire Milky Way. M82 is also 5 times brighter. In 2005, Hubble found 197 massive star clusters in the central region.

M82 produces an infrared excess and is the brightest galaxy in the sky when observed in infrared light.

It is believed to have experienced at least one tidal collision with Messier 81 in the past. This caused enormous amounts of gas to enter its core over the past 200 million years and increase star formation by a factor of 10.

Owl Nebula(M97, NGC 3587) is a planetary nebula with an apparent magnitude of 9.9 and a distance of 2600 light years. In the center is a 16th magnitude star.

Pierre Méchain discovered the nebula in 1781. Age – 8000 years. It got its name because when observed through a telescope it resembles the eyes of an owl.

Pinwheel(M101, NGC 5457) is a grand design spiral galaxy observed by the face. The apparent magnitude is 7.86, and the distance is 20.9 million light years. In August 2011, a type Ia supernova (explosion of a white dwarf star) was discovered - SN 2011fe.

Pierre Méchain discovered the galaxy in 1781 and was later added to the catalog by Charles Messier. Méchain described it as "a nebula without a star, very obscure and quite large - from 6" to 7" in diameter."

It spans 170,000 light years in diameter (70% larger than the Milky Way). Hosts a number of large, bright H II regions and hot newly formed stars.

There are 5 companion galaxies: NGC 5474, NGC 5204, NGC 5477, NGC 5585 and Holmberg IV. Most likely, the grand design was created due to contact with them.

(M108, NGC 3556) is a barred spiral galaxy discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781. We can see it almost out of the blue. The visual magnitude is 10.7, and the distance is 45,000 light years.

It is an isolated member of the Ursa Major Cluster (within the Virgo Supercluster). M108 contains approximately 290 globular clusters and 83 X-ray sources.

In 1969, a type 2 supernova, 1969B, was observed.

(M109, NGC 3992) is a barred spiral galaxy with an apparent magnitude of 10.6 and a distance of 83.5 million light years. Located southeast of Gamma Ursa Major. In 1781, Pierre Mechain found it, and 2 years later Charles Messier added it to the catalog.

In 1956, a type Ia supernova, SN 1956A, was discovered. There are also 3 satellite galaxies: UGC 6923, UGC 6940 and UGC 6969.

It is the brightest galaxy in the M109 group (contains more than 50 galaxies).

NGC 5474– a dwarf galaxy located near M101, with which it interacts. Shows signs of a spiral structure. The visual magnitude is 11.3, and the distance is 22 million light years.

Due to tidal interactions with M101, the disk moves away from the core and activates star birth. You can study the constellation Ursa Major more closely if you use our 3D models and online telescope. For independent search, a static or moving star map is suitable.

Constellation Ursa Major

Ursa Major is a constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky. The seven Ursa Major forms a shape resembling a ladle with a handle. The two brightest stars, Alioth and Dubhe, have a magnitude of 1.8 apparent magnitude. By the two extreme stars of this figure (α and β) you can find the North Star. Best conditions visibility - in March-April. Visible throughout Russia all year round (with the exception of the autumn months in southern Russia, when Ursa Major descends low to the horizon).

Stars and asterisms

Ursa Major is the third largest constellation in area (after Hydra and Virgo), whose seven bright stars form the famous Big Dipper; this asterism has been known since ancient times among many peoples under different names: Rocker, Plow, Elk, Cart, Seven Sages, etc. All the stars of the Bucket have their own Arabic names:

Dubhe (α Ursa Major) means "bear";
Merak (β) - “lower back”;
Fekda (γ) - “thigh”;
Megrets (δ) - “beginning of the tail”;
Aliot (ε) - the meaning is not clear (but most likely this name means “fat tail”);
Mizar (ζ) - “sash” or “loincloth”.
The last star in the handle of the Bucket is called Benetnash or Alkaid (η); In Arabic, al-Qa'id Banat Nash means "leader of the mourners." This poetic image is taken from the Arabic folk understanding of the constellation Ursa Major.

In the system of naming stars using Greek letters, the order of the letters simply corresponds to the order of the stars.

Another interpretation of asterism is reflected in the alternative name Hearse and Mourners. Here the asterism is thought of as a funeral procession: in front are mourners, headed by a leader, followed by a funeral bier. This explains the name of the star η Ursa Major, “leader of the mourners.”

The 5 inner stars of the Bucket (except for the outer ones α and η) really belong to a single group in space - the moving Ursa Major cluster, which moves quite quickly across the sky; Dubhe and Benetnash move in the opposite direction, so the shape of the Bucket changes significantly in about 100,000 years.

The stars Merak and Dubhe, forming the wall of the Bucket, are called Signposts, since the straight line drawn through them rests on the North Star (in the constellation Ursa Minor). Six stars of the Bucket have a brilliance of the 2nd magnitude, and only Megrets is of the 3rd magnitude.

Next to Mizar, which was the second to be discovered by telescope (Giovanni Riccioli in 1650; as of the early 2000s, it was probably observed as a binary as early as 1617 by Galileo). A keen eye sees the 4th magnitude star Alcor (80 Ursa Major), which in Arabic means “forgotten” or “insignificant”. It is believed that the ability to distinguish the Alcor star has been a recognized test of vigilance since ancient times. The pair of stars Mizar and Alcor is often interpreted as an asterism " Horse and rider».

A peculiar asterism Three gazelle jumps Arabic origin consists of three pairs of closely spaced stars, and the pairs are on the same straight line and separated by equal distances. Associated with the hoof marks of a gazelle moving in leaps. Includes stars:

Alula North and Alula South (ν and ξ, first jump),
Taniya North and Taniya South (λ and μ, second jump),
Talita North and Talita South (ι and κ, third jump).

Aliot, Mizar and Benetnash form an extended arc that points to Arcturus - the brightest star, which is located north of the celestial equator, and is also the brightest star visible in the spring in the mid-latitudes of Russia. As this arc extends further south, it points to Spica, the brightest star in the Virgo constellation.

Big Dipper

Big Dipper\ Ursa Major is a constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky. The seven stars of Ursa Major form a shape resembling a ladle with a handle. The two brightest stars, Alioth and Dubhe, have a magnitude of 1.8 apparent magnitude. By the two extreme stars of this figure (α and β) you can find the North Star. The best visibility conditions are in March-April. Visible throughout Russia all year round (with the exception of the autumn months in southern Russia, when Ursa Major descends low to the horizon). The number of stars brighter than 6.0m is 125.

First classification - Yerke classification taking into account luminosity (ICC). An additional factor influencing the appearance of the spectrum is the density of the outer layers of the star, which in turn depends on its mass and density, that is, ultimately, on its luminosity. SrII, BaII, FeII, TiII are especially strongly affected by luminosity, which leads to differences in the spectra of giant stars and dwarfs of the same Harvard spectral classes. The dependence of the type of spectrum on luminosity is reflected in the newer Yerkes classification, developed at the Yerkes Observatory by W. Morgan, F. Keenan and E. Kelman, also called the ICC after the initials of its authors. In accordance with this classification, the star is assigned a Harvard spectral class and luminosity class:

Second classification - Basic (Harvard) spectral classification, developed at the Harvard Observatory in 1890-1924, is a temperature classification based on the type and relative intensity of the absorption and emission lines of the spectra of stars. Within the class, stars are divided into subclasses from 0 (hottest) to 9 (coldest). The Sun has a spectral class of G2 and an equivalent photosphere temperature of 5780 K.

Stars of the constellation Ursa Major

Aliot\ Epsilon Ursae Majoris (ε Ursae Majoris) is the brightest star in the constellation. It is in 33rd place in brightness among all stars in the visible part of the sky. Alioth is at a distance of 80.84 light years from the earth. The star - A0pCr is a white variable star of the type α² Canes Venatici. It has a strong magnetic field (100 times stronger than the Earth's field) that splits different elements hydrogen fuel star, then the angle of the rotation axis to the axis magnetic field combines different elements sorted by magnetic properties, in one line visible between Alioth and Earth. The elements react differently with different frequencies of light, refracting it, causing Aliot to exhibit extremely strange spectral lines that fluctuate with a period of 5.1 days. In the case of Aliot, the axes of rotation and magnetic field are at an angle of almost 90 degrees to each other. The temperature of the star is 9,400K.

Dubhe(α Ursae Majoris) is the second brightest star. Dubhe is a multiple star, main component- orange giant K0III, which is in the helium burning stage. Its temperature is 6400K. Star 300 times brighter than the sun and the diameter is 15 times larger. The second F0V and third F8 star are main sequence stars. The distance between stars A and B is 23 AU, A and C is 8000 AU. Dubhe is located at a distance of about 123.5 sv. years.

Benetnash\ Eta (η Ursae Majoris) is a blue-white main sequence star B3 V. Benetnash is already 10 million years old. The star is located at a distance of about 100 light. years from the Sun. Its temperature is 22,000K. It is 6 times larger than the Sun and 1350 times luminous.

Mizar - Alcor (ζ UMa) - a star system of 6 components. Two stars Mizar A, 2 stars Mizar B and 2 stars Alcor. The main stars are Alcor and Mizar.

Mizar is an A1V dwarf. It is located at a distance of about 78.07 light years. Its temperature is 9000K. Mizar B has a magnitude of 4.0 and spectral type A7, the distance between Mizar A and Mizar B is 380 AU. That is, the period of revolution is several thousand years.

Alcor - Alcor magnitude 4.02, spectral class A5 V. The distance between Mizar and Alcor is more than a quarter of a light year. It is located at a distance of 81.06 sv. years. Its temperature is 8200K.

Merak\ Beta Ursae Majoris (β Ursae Majoris) is an A1V dwarf. 3 times the solar mass and 2 times the solar radius. It is 68 times more luminous than the Sun. Temperature - 9400K. It is located 79.32 light years (24.4 parsecs) away.

Fekda\ Gamma Ursae Majoris (γ Ursae Majoris) is an A0Ve SB dwarf. The mass is 2.7 times greater than the Sun, and the radius is 3 times greater. Its temperature is 9800K. It is located at a distance of 83.55 St. years (25.5 parsecs) It is surrounded by a shell of gas. The star rotates very quickly, its speed is 178 km/s. Its age is estimated at 300 million years.

Megrets\ Delta (δ Ursae Majoris) is an A3 V dwarf. Megrets is 63% larger than the mass of the Sun, 1.4 times the radius of the Sun. It shines 14 times more and its temperature is 9480K. She has a 16 amp throttle disc. e. The star has 2 weak companions.

Taniya North \ Lambda (λ Ursae Majoris) is a white subgiant of A2 IV. It is located at a distance of 134.2 sv. years (42 parsecs) from Earth. It is now 410 million years old. The star has 240% of the mass and 230% of the radius of the Sun and emits 37% more. Its temperature is 9100K.

Taniya South \ Mu Ursae Majoris (μ Ursae Majoris) is a red giant M0 IIIab. Its radius is 75 times larger than the Sun. Its temperature is about 3700K. The star is located at 248.5 sv. years. The star is a semi-regular variable, but after additional observations, it is believed that the star has a companion with a rotation period of 230 days.

Talitha North \ Talitha Borealis (ι Ursae Majoris) is a white subgiant A7 IV. It is located at a distance of 47.68 sv. years (14.5 parsecs). Iota consists of three components: Iota Ursa Major A, 9th magnitude Iota Ursa Major B (M1 V) and 10th magnitude Iota Ursa Major C (/M1 V). The two stars orbit each other with a period of 39.7 years, and are separated by approximately 0.7 arcseconds. Iota A is 1.7 times the mass and 1.5 times the radius of the Sun. Its temperature is 7900K. Luminosity is 9 times greater than the Sun.

Talitha South \ Kappa (κ Ursae Majoris) is a double star. Both stars are white dwarfs A0IV-V + A0V. The orbital period is from 36 to 74 years. These stars are 422.5 light years away from us. Their temperature is about 9400K. Both stars will become subgiants. Each star rotates at more than 201 km/s. (about 3 days). Brightness 290/250 solar.

Alula North\Nu (ν Ursae Majoris) - is a double star. The main star is the orange giant K3 III. Its luminosity is 1355 times greater than the Sun, and its radius is 76 times greater. Temperature is about 4300K. And the mass is 4 times greater than the Sun. The stars are distant from us at a distance of 420.9 light. years. The second star is a G1V yellow dwarf, whose luminosity is 30% greater than the Sun.

Alula South\ Xi (ξ Ursae Majoris) - star system. That this dual system was understood by William Herschel on May 2, 1780. It was the first visual double star, whose orbit was calculated by Felix Savary in 1828. The two stars are G0 Ve/G0 Ve main sequence yellow dwarfs. They are classified as Canes Venatici RS variables. The temperature of the stars is ~5900 K. Their mass, radius and luminosity are only slightly higher than the Sun, and their metallicities are also similar. Every star has a companion. The star Alula Aa has an M3 class companion. Alula Ba has a companion - a brown dwarf or red dwarf, and even an orange dwarf. In addition, astrometric data indicate the existence of a third companion in this subsystem. The stars are 33.94 light years away from us.

Alkafzah\ Chi (χ Ursae Majoris) is an orange giant K0.5IIIb. It is located at a distance of about 195.8 sv. years from Earth. The star is 20 times the radius of the Sun. Its temperature is 4700K. It shines 172 times more powerful than the Sun. Its rotation speed is 1.15 km/s. (1000 days). The star is at least 1000 million years old.

Tien Tsan\ Psi (ψ Ursae Majoris) is a K1 III orange giant. The star is located at a distance of 146.7 light. years from Earth. It is 20 times the radius of the Sun. And it emits 148 times. Temperature - 4500K. Rotation around its axis is 1.1 km/s (1 revolution in 2.6 years). Tien Tsan began its life 300 million years ago as a blue-white B7 main sequence star and will end its days as a white dwarf with a mass of about 0.7 solar masses.

23 Ursae Majoris- yellow subgiant F0IV. It is located at a distance of 75.41 sv. years. Its tempera is 7300K. It shines 14 times more than the Sun and has a radius 2.5 times greater. Rotation speed - 147 km/s (1 revolution - 20.4 hours). The star is a Delta Scuti variable. It has a companion, the orange dwarf K7v. Mass 0.63 solar.

Muscida\ Omicron (ο Ursae Majoris) is a yellow giant G4 II–III. It is located at a distance of about 183.4 sv. years. Its mass is about 2.42 solar masses. The radius is 14 times greater than the Sun. Emits 138 times more. Its temperature is 5282K. The star has a companion - a red dwarf M1v, which is an X-ray source.

Upsilon(υ Ursae Majoris) - double star. The main component is the yellow subgiant F2 IV. This is a Delta Scuti type variable star. Rotation speed 124 km/s (1.4 days). Its temperature is 7300 K. Its luminosity is 30 times greater than the Sun. The star has a companion - a red dwarf M0V. With a mass of about.5 solar. The stars are at a distance of 114.9 light. years from Earth.

φ Ursa Major - subgiant A3IV. It is located at a distance of about 436.1 sv. years. Its temperature is 8900K. 2.5 times the mass of the Sun.

Theta(θ Ursae Majoris) - a double star system. The main star is the yellow subgiant F6 IV. They are located at a distance of 43.93 sv. years from Earth. It is 141% larger than the Sun and 250% larger in radius. She is already 2.2 billion years old. Its temperature is 6500K. MacDonald Observatory suggests that the star has planets with masses between 0.24 and 4.6 Jupiter masses and an orbit between 0.05 and 5.2 AU.

Deep space objects in the constellation Ursa Major

Nebulae

M 97- Owl Nebula - planetary nebula. The first opener - Pierre Mechain 16.02. 1781 The nebula is located at a distance of 2598 light years. years from us. Photographic magnitude (B) is 12.0. Visible dimensions 3.4" x 3.3". The nebula is a cylindrical ring of light. The Owl Nebula formed 6,000 years ago. The central star now has a mass of 0.7 solar masses and a magnitude of 16. To clearly see the nebula, you need a telescope from 150 - 200mm. Size in diameter - 2.2 cm. of the year.

Galaxies

Galaxy Cigar \ M82 - Irregular galaxy with powerful star formation. Type I0 edge-on. The increased star formation is possibly caused by the gravitational interaction of the Bode Galaxy, this interaction began about 100 million years ago. Due to gravitational interaction, it is believed that it became irregular. An infrared study revealed distorted spiral arms. Star formation has been going on for 50 million years. The Hubble Telescope has discovered 197 star clusters in the galaxy. The frequency of supernova explosions is once every 10 years. At the center is a black hole 30 million times the mass of the Sun. The existence of small black holes with a mass 500 times the mass of the Sun was also discovered. Most of stars in the galaxy were born 500 million years ago. The galaxy is located at a distance of 12.09 million light years. Redshift - 203 ± 4 km/s. Visible dimensions - 11`.2 × 4`.3. Size in diameter - 39420 cm. years.

Bode Galaxy- M81 - spiral galaxy Sb. The first discoverer was Johann Bode in 1774. Much infrared radiation comes from cosmic dust in the spiral arms of the galaxy due to star formation. In 1993, a Type IIb supernova exploded in the galaxy. The galaxy is located at a distance of 11.7 million. years (3.6 parsecs). The galaxy contains about 250 billion stars, less than the Milky Way. The Bode Galaxy is in a gravitational interaction with the spiral galaxy NGC 3077. This influence removes a layer of hydrogen from 3 galaxies (M81, M82 and NGC 3077) and leads to star formation in the centers of the galaxies. Galaxies M81, M82 are visible in a telescope from 75 mm, to distinguish details you need a telescope with an aperture from 20 cm. The galaxy is located at a distance of 12 million light years. years. Visible dimensions 24.9" x 11.5". Photographic magnitude mB 7.8. Redshift −0.000140 ± 0.000040. Size in diameter - 86,980 cm. years.

Pinwheel Galaxy - M 101 - spiral galaxy SA(sr)c. The first discoverer was Pierre Mechain on March 27, 1781. The Pinwheel Galaxy is very similar to the Milky Way, with pronounced spiral arms and a small, compact bulge. But the Pinwheel is larger than the Milky Way in size. Its diameter is 206,000 light. years. Previously, the Pinwheel Galaxy experienced collisions with other galaxies, which follows from some asymmetry. A type Ia supernova erupted in this galaxy on August 24, 2011. This was the fourth supernova seen from Earth. There were also in 1909, 1951. and 1970 The galaxy is 24.57 million light years away from us. years. (8 megaparsecs). Visible dimensions 27" x 26". Photographic magnitude mB 8.2. Redshift - 0.0013±0.0002. The galaxy can be observed through a telescope with a diameter of 50 mm. Under good conditions and a telescope diameter of 150mm or more, details can be seen: stars and spiral arms.

M 108- barred spiral galaxy (Sc). It was discovered by Pierre Mechaine on February 16, 1781. The galaxy is visible almost edge-on. This galaxy has a mass of about 125 billion solar masses. And includes 290 ± 80 globular clusters. Using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, 83 X-ray sources were found. In the center there is a supermassive black hole equal to 24 million solar masses. Photographic magnitude mB 10.6. Redshift +0.002328 ± 0.000003. The galaxy is located at a distance of 44.97 million light years. years from us. Size in diameter - 112,000 sq. years.

m 109- barred spiral galaxy SB(rs)bc. It is located at a distance of 54.96 million light years from Earth and is moving away at 1142 km/s. The first discoverer was Pierre Mechain on April 12, 1781. The galaxy has 3 satellites: galaxies UGC 6923, UGC 6940 and UGC 6969, possibly more. In March 1956 Supernova Ia exploded in the M109 galaxy. Photographic magnitude mB 10.6. Redshift +0.003496 ± 0.000010. Size in diameter - 120,000 sv. years.

NGC 2768- elliptical galaxy (E6). First discoverer William Herschel 04/19. 1790 Redshift +0.004590 ± 0.000250. Speed - (+1373 ± 5) km/s. Photographic magnitude mB 10.9. Located at a distance of 62.89 million sv. years from Earth. Size in diameter - 117,200 sq. years.

NGC 2841- spiral galaxy (Sb). The first discoverer is William Herschel 03/09/1788. It is located at a distance of 51.5 million sv. years from Earth. Redshift +0.002121 ± 0.000003. Photographic magnitude mB 10.1. Visible dimensions 8.1" x 3.5". Size in diameter - 121,400 sq. years.

NGC 2976- Sc/P spiral galaxy. The first discoverer was William Herschel on November 8, 1801. The galaxy contains many dark streaks and clumps of stars closer to the disk. It does not have distinct spiral arms due to gravitational interactions with the neighboring galaxies M81 and M82. Photographic magnitude mB 10.8. Redshift +0.000040 ± 0.000070. It is located at a distance of 11.99 million sv. years from Earth. Size in diameter - 20,600 sq. years.

NGC 3077- spiral galaxy (Sd). The first discoverer was William Herschel on November 8, 1801. The galaxy has an active nucleus. The galaxy is located at a distance of 12.96 million light years. years. Photographic magnitude mB 10.6 Visible dimensions 5.2" × 4.7" Redshift +0.000040 ± 0.000013. Size in diameter - 19,600 sq. years.

NGC 3184- barred spiral galaxy (SBc). First discoverer William Herschel 03/18/1787 The galaxy is located at a distance of about 36.84 million light years. years from Earth. NGC 3184 is characterized by a high content of heavy elements. In 1999, a Type II supernova erupted in this galaxy; In addition, NGC 3184 is characterized by a high content of heavy metals. Redshift 0.001975. Size in diameter - 79,400 sq. years.

NGC 3198- barred spiral galaxy (SBc). First discoverer William Herschel 01/15/1788 Visible dimensions 8.5" × 3.3" Photographic magnitude mB 10.9. It is located at a distance of 47.93 million sv. years. Size in diameter - 118,600 sq. years.

NGC 3359- barred spiral galaxy (SBc). First discoverer William Herschel 11/28/1793 Visible dimensions 7.2" × 4.4" Photographic magnitude mB 11.0 Redshift +0.003376 ± 0.000007. It is located at a distance of 42.38 million sv. years. from the earth. Size in diameter - 88,800 sq. years.

NGC 3675- spiral galaxy (Sb). The first discoverer was William Herschel on January 14, 1788. Visible dimensions 5.9" × 3.1" Photographic magnitude mB 10.8. Redshift +0.002542 ± 0.000033. It is located at a distance of 67.97 million sv. years from Earth. Size in diameter - 116,800 sq. years.

NGC 3726- barred spiral galaxy (SBc). First discoverer William Herschel 02/05/1788 Apparent dimensions 6.0" × 4.1" Photographic magnitude mB 10.9 Redshift +0.002872 ± 0.000027

NGC 3938- spiral galaxy (Sc). Three supernovae have been recorded in the galaxy: SN 1961U, SN 1964L and SN 2005ay. The number of objects recorded in NGC 3938 is 164 objects. The galaxy is located at a distance of about 43 million light years. years from Earth. Apparent dimensions 5.4" × 4.9" Photographic magnitude mB 10.8

NGC 3953- spiral galaxy SBbc. First discoverer William Herschel 04/12/1789 Two supernovae have been detected in the galaxy: SN 2001dp and SN 2006bp. Apparent dimensions 6.9" × 3.6" Photographic magnitude mB 10.6 Redshift +0.003509 ± 0.000027

NGC 4051- spiral galaxy SBbc. First discoverer William Herschel 02/06/1788 At the center of the spiral galaxy NGC 4051 is a supermassive black hole that ejects 2 to 5 percent of the matter accreting onto it. Visible dimensions 5.2" × 3.9" Photographic magnitude mB 10.8. Redshift +0.002336

NGC 4605- spiral galaxy SBc/P. First discoverer William Herschel 04/19/1790 Visible dimensions 5.9" × 2.4" Photographic magnitude mB 10.8 Redshift +0.000484 ± 0.000020. It is located at a distance of 17.59 million sv. years from Earth. Size in diameter - 30 200 cm. years.

IC 2574(Coddington Nebula) is a dwarf irregular galaxy. She has 2 sleeves irregular shape. The galaxy is 2 times smaller than the Milky Way. First discovered by Edward Foster Coddington in 1898. 90% of the galaxy is dark matter. The galaxy is located at a distance of 11.76 million light years. years. Visible dimensions 12.3" x 5.9". Size in diameter - 44,040 cm. years

Big Dipper- constellation of the northern hemisphere of the sky. The seven stars of Ursa Major form a shape resembling a ladle with a handle. The two brightest stars, Alioth and Dubhe, have a magnitude of 1.8 apparent magnitude. By the two extreme stars of this figure (α and β) you can find the North Star. The best visibility conditions are in March-April. Visible throughout Russia all year round (with the exception of the autumn months in southern Russia, when Ursa Major descends low to the horizon).

There are about 125 stars in the constellation, but only seven are called the largest and brightest: Dubhe, Merak, Phekda, Megrets, Aliot, Mizar and Alkaid. Between themselves they form a bucket that is visible to the naked eye.

The legend of the appearance of the constellation

In distant Greenland there is also a legend in which the constellation Ursa Major appears. The mythology and history of this cluster are quite popular. But one story that has gained the greatest popularity among Eskimos is one that absolutely everyone talks about. It was even suggested that this legend is not fiction, but the pure truth. In a snowy house, on the very edge of Greenland, lived the great hunter Eriulok. He lived alone in a hut because he was arrogant, considering himself the best in his field. That's why he didn't want to communicate with his other tribesmen. For many years in a row he went to sea and always returned with rich booty. His house always had a lot of food and seal fat, and the walls of his home were decorated with the best skins of walruses, seals and seals.

Eriulok was rich, well-fed, but lonely. And loneliness over time began to weigh on the great hunter. He tried to make friends with his fellow Eskimos, but they did not want to have anything to do with their arrogant relative. Apparently, he offended them greatly at one time. In desperation, Eriulok went to the Arctic Ocean and called the mistress of the sea depths, the goddess Arnarkuachssak. He told her about himself and his trouble. The goddess promised to help, but in return Eriulok had to bring her a ladle with magic berries that would restore the goddess’s youth. The hunter agreed and went to a distant island and found a cave guarded by a bear. After much torment, he put the forest animal to sleep and stole a ladle of berries. The goddess did not deceive the hunter and gave him a wife, and in return received magic berries.

After all the adventures, Eriulok married and became the father of a large family, to the envy of all the neighbors in the area. As for the goddess, she ate all the berries, became a couple of hundred centuries younger and, in joy, threw the empty ladle into the sky, where it, caught on something, remained hanging.

Stars and asterisms

Dubhe(α Ursa Major) means “bear”;
Merak(β) - “lower back”;
Fekda(γ) - “thigh”;
Megrets(δ) - “beginning of the tail”;
Aliot(ε) - the meaning is not clear (but most likely this name means “fat tail”);
Mizar(ζ) - “sash” or “loincloth”.
The last star in the handle of the Bucket is called Benetnash or Alkaid(η); In Arabic, al-Qa'id Banat Nash means "leader of the mourners." This poetic image is taken from the Arabic folk understanding of the constellation Ursa Major.

In the system of naming stars using Greek letters, the order of the letters simply corresponds to the order of the stars.

Inner stars of the Bucket

Stars Merak and Dubhe

They form the wall of the Bucket and are called Signposts, since the straight line drawn through them rests on the North Star (in the constellation Ursa Minor). Six stars of the Bucket have a brilliance of the 2nd magnitude, and only Megrets is of the 3rd magnitude.

Alcor

Next to Mizar, which was the second telescopically discovered double star (Giovanni Riccioli in 1650; as of the early 2000s, it was probably observed as a double as early as 1617 by Galileo). A keen eye sees the 4th magnitude star Alcor (80 Ursa Major), which in Arabic means “forgotten” or “insignificant”. It is believed that the ability to distinguish the Alcor star has been a recognized test of vigilance since ancient times. The pair of stars Mizar and Alcor is often interpreted as an asterism " Horse and rider».

Three gazelle jumps

Alula North and Alula South (ν and ξ, first jump),
Taniya North and Taniya South (λ and μ, second jump),
Talita North and Talita South (ι and κ, third jump).

Arcturus

Lalande 21185

A red dwarf located in the Alula North region and inaccessible to observations naked eye. one third of the lunar disk.

Legends about the constellation. Star of Dubhe

There are a huge number of legends and tales about the cluster of luminaries Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. There is the following belief about the brightest star Dubha from the constellation Ursa Major. The daughter of King Lycaon, the beautiful Callisto was one of the hunters of the goddess Artemis. Almighty Zeus fell in love with Callisto, and she gave birth to a boy, Arcas. For this, Zeus' jealous wife Hera turned Callisto into a bear. When Arkas grew up and became a hunter, he picked up the trail of a bear and was already preparing to hit the beast with an arrow. Zeus, seeing what was happening, did not allow the murder. It was he who turned Arkas into a smaller bear. The Lord of Heaven placed them in the firmament so that mother and son would always remain together.

Ursa Major ranks third among the constellations in terms of area, but unusually few variable stars have been found there - as of 2011, it is not among the top ten constellations in terms of this indicator.

The Hubble Ultra Deep Field was imaged in an area one-twelfth the size of the lunar disk near the star Megrets. For 2011 this is one of the most detailed images starry sky, which makes it possible to distinguish many galaxies billions of light years away from Earth.
Scars in the shape of the constellation Ursa Major on the chest are worn by a character from the popular anime and manga series Hokuto No Ken, Kenshiro in many countries. IN this moment Only the independent three-part short story “Fist of the North Star: New Era” is available in the official Russian translation.
The world's first cryogenic company is named after a star from the constellation Ursa Major.
Soviet archaeologist and historian, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Rybakov B.A. in his famous work he wrote: “The most important constellation of our northern hemisphere - Ursa Major - in the Russian North was called “Elk”, “Elk”... Among the Poles, the North Star is called the “Elk Star” (Gwiazda Łosiowa). Among the Evenks, the constellation Ursus Major (Ursus Major) is called “Moose Haglen”.
In the animated series Gravity Falls, the main character Dipper Pines has a birthmark in the form of this constellation on his forehead. Because of him, he received the nickname Dipper ( dipper from English - ladle, and the constellation Ursa Major is sometimes called the Big Dipper).

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Ursa Major (lat. Ursa Major) is a constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky. The seven stars of Ursa Major form a shape resembling a ladle with a handle. The two brightest stars, Alioth and Dubhe, have a magnitude of 1.8 apparent magnitude. By the two extreme stars of this figure (α and β) you can find the North Star. The best visibility conditions are in March - April. Visible throughout Russia all year round (with the exception of the autumn months in southern Russia, when Ursa Major descends low to the horizon).

Short description

Big Dipper
Lat. Name	Ursa Major (genus Ursae Majoris)
Reduction	UMa
Symbol	Big Dipper
Right ascension	from 7 h 58 m to 14 h 25 m
Declension	from +29° to +73° 30’
Square	1280 sq. degrees (3rd place)
Brightest stars (value< 3 m)	Alioth (ε UMa) – 1.76 m Dubhe (α UMa) – 1.81 m Benetnash (η UMa) – 1.86 m Mizar (ζ UMa) – 2.23 m Merak (β UMa) – 2.34 m Fekda (γ UMa) – 2.41 m
Meteor showers	Ursids Leonids-Ursids April Ursids
Neighboring constellations	The Dragon Giraffe Little Leo Veronica's hair Hound Dogs Bootes
The constellation is visible at latitudes from +90° to -16°. The best time for observation is March.

Detailed description

The constellation Ursa Major is located in the northern hemisphere of the starry sky. People have known it for many thousands of years. He was known to astronomers in Egypt, Babylon, China and Ancient Greece. It was included by Claudius Ptolemy in his monograph “Almagest” back in the 2nd century. And this work united all the knowledge on astronomy for that period of time.

The Big Dipper is formed by the following seven stars:

Dubhe (Alpha Ursa Major), the name comes from the Arabic expression - “back of the big bear.”
Merak (β) – from Arabic “loin” or “groin”.
Fekda (γ) – “thigh”.
Megrets (δ) – “base of the tail.” Is the faintest star among stars Big Dipper.
Aliot (ε) – “fat tail”. The brightest star in this constellation.
Mizar (ζ) – from Arabic – “belt”. Near Mizar there is another star - Alcor. It is noteworthy that the ability to distinguish between these two stars is a consequence of good vision (with myopia of no more than 1 diopter).
Benetnash (η) or otherwise – Alkaid. The third brightest star in Ursa Major. “Al-Qaeda banat ours” is translated from Arabic as “leader of the mourners.”

As you can see, this formation includes 7 stars. If you connect them with a straight line, you get a figure that resembles a ladle with a handle. Each star has its own name. At the top point of the bucket, opposite the handle, there is a star, which is called Dubhe. It is the second brightest among its cosmic counterparts. This is a multiple star. That is, several stars from Earth are seen as one due to their close distance to each other.

In this case we are dealing with 3 stars. The largest of them is a red giant. That is, the core has already lost all its hydrogen reserves, and a thermonuclear reaction is taking place on the surface of the star. It dies, and over time it should turn into a white dwarf or become a black hole. The other two stars are Main Sequence stars, that is, the same as our Sun.

On the same straight line with Dubhe, at the base of the bucket, there is a star Merak. This is a very bright light. It is 69 times brighter than our Sun, but due to the vastness of outer space it does not make the proper impression. If the straight line between Merak and Dubhe is extended towards the constellation Ursa Minor, then you can run into the North Star. It is located at a distance that is 5 times greater than the distance between the indicated luminaries.

The other lowest point of the bucket is called Fekda. This is a Main Sequence star. The top point of the bucket located opposite it is called Megrets. She is the dimmest in the friendly company. This star is almost 1.5 times larger than our star and 14 times brighter.

There is a star at the beginning of the handle Aliot. It is the brightest in the constellation Ursa Major. Among all the visible stars in the sky, it ranks 33rd in brightness. From the end of the handle it is the third in a row, and the second is a star Mizar. Next to it is another luminary, which is called Alcor. Anyone can see it good eyesight. They say that in ancient times, Alcor was used to test the visual acuity of young men who aspired to become sailors. If a young man could see this star next to Mizar, then he was enrolled as a sailor.

In reality, not 2 stars shine in the cosmic distance, but as many as 6. These are the double stars Mizar A and Mizar B, as well as the double star Alcor. But from Earth, with the naked eye, only a large bright point and a small one that is nearby are visible. These are the kind of surprises that space sometimes brings.

And finally, the outermost star. It is called Benetnash or Alkaid. All these names are taken from Arabic. In this case, the literal translation means “leader of the mourners.” That is, the alkaid is the leader, and our banat is the mourners. This star is the third brightest after Aliot and Dubhe. It ranks 35th among the brightest stars in the sky.

The brightest stars of Ursa Major

Star	α (2000)	δ (2000)	V	Sp. Class	Distance	Luminosity	Notes
Aliot	12h 54min 01.7s	+55° 57′ 35″	1,76	A0Vp	81	108
Dubhe	11 03 43,6	+61 45 03	1,79	K0IIIa	124	235	Triple. ΑΒ=0.7″ AC=378″
Benetnash	13 47 32,3	+49 18 48	1,86	B3V	101	146
Mizar	13 23 55,5	+54 55 31	2,27	A1Vp	86	71	6 star system including Alcor A and B
Merak	11 01 50,4	+56 22 56	2,37	A1V	78	55
Fekda	11 53 49,8	+53 41 41	2,44	A0Ve	84	59
ψ UMa	11 09 39,7	+44 29 54	3,01	K1III	147	108
μUMa	10 22 19,7	+41 29 58	3,05	M0III	249	296	sp. double?
ιUMa	08 59 12,4	+48 02 30	3,14	A7IV	48	10	sp. double and wholesale double
θ UMa	09 32 51,3	+51 40 38	3,18	F6IV	44	8

Other objects of Ursa Major

In addition to the Big Dipper, in the constellation Ursa Major you can also see an asterism called the Three Leaps of the Gazelle, which looks like three pairs of stars.

We are talking about the following pairs:

Alula North South (ν and ξ),
Taniya North and South (λ and μ),
Talitha North and South (ι and κ).

Near Alupa North there is a red dwarf called Lalande 21185, which is elusive to observation with the naked eye. However, it is the sixth closest star system to the Sun. Closer to the stars Sirius A and B.

Observational astronomers are well aware that this constellation contains the galaxy M101 (called Pinwheel), as well as the galaxies M81 and M82. The last two form the core of what is probably the closest group of galaxies, located at a distance of about 7 million light years. In contrast to these distant objects, the astronomical body M 97 (“Owl”) is located within the Milky Way, hundreds of times closer. The Owl is one of the largest planetary nebulae.

In the middle, between the first and second “gazelle jump”, using optics you can see a small yellow dwarf similar to our Sun number 47. From 2000 to 2010, scientists discovered three exoplanets, gas giants, orbiting around it. This star system is also one of the most similar to the Solar System and ranks 72nd on the list of candidates for the search for Earth-like planets carried out as part of the planned NASA Terrestrial Planet Finder mission. So for an astronomy lover, the constellation is of great interest.

In 2013 and 2016, two of the most distant galaxies from us were discovered in the constellation, z8 GND 5296 and GN-z11, respectively. The light from these galaxies, recorded by scientists, lasted 13.02 (z8 GND 5296) and 13.4 (GN-z11) billion years.

This is how we can characterize the constellation Ursa Major, known since ancient times. This cosmic region also includes many galaxies. For example, the Pinwheel galaxy. It is better known as M 101. It is larger in size than the Milky Way. Its detailed photographs were taken by the Hubble telescope at the beginning of the 21st century. To get to this huge cluster of stars, you need to spend 8 million light years.

The Owl Nebula is also of interest. It enters our galaxy and looks like two dark spots located nearby. In 1848, Lord Ross believed that these spots were similar to the eyes of an owl. This is where the name came from. This nebula is approximately 6 thousand years old, and it is located at a distance of 2300 light years from the Solar system.

But the most interesting thing is that the constellation Ursa Major is considered as one of probable sources extraterrestrial intelligence. In this part of space there is a certain star called 47UMa. It is a yellow dwarf, and its planetary system is very similar to ours. solar system. At least, today there are 3 known planets orbiting this star. In 2003, a radio message was sent to him. Earthlings persistently search for brothers in mind, and luck always accompanies those who persist.

How to find the Big Dipper in the sky?

If you want to learn how to navigate the starry sky, then your primary task is to be able to find the Big Dipper bucket. Although it is not far from the North Star, it is still not so close to it as to be at one point in the sky all the time.

The Big Dipper is easiest to spot in the fall and winter. At this time, in the evenings, the asterism is located in the north, not high above the horizon and in our usual position.

Towards the end of winter, the position of Ursa Major in the evening sky changes. The seven stars of the bucket shift to the east, and the Big Dipper itself stands vertically on the handle.

There is nothing surprising. Let us remember that every day all the stars describe circles around the celestial pole, thereby reflecting the rotation of the Earth around its axis. But over the course of a year, the stars make one more additional circle, thereby reflecting the movement of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun. The stars of Ursa Major are no exception - moving from the lowest point, the bucket seems to rear up.

In mid-spring, Ursa Major is at its zenith in the evenings, right above your head! At this time, it is in an inverted position in relation to the North Star. Its ladle faces west, and its handle faces east.

For those who live north of Moscow, the most difficult time to find the Big Dipper in the sky is in the summer, during the period of short nights. At this time, the constellation is in the west, and the bucket is tilted down and looking north.

How to find the North Star using Ursa Major?

Now let's see how to find the North Star using Ursa Major. This is done simply. Take the two outermost stars in the bucket, Dubha and Merak (alpha and beta Ursa Major), and mentally connect them with a line. And then extend this line five times the distance Merak - Dubhe.

You will see a star whose brilliance is approximately equal to the brilliance of the stars of the bucket. This is the famous Polar Star, the “iron nail,” as the Kazakhs called it, meaning the immobility of the Polar Star in the earth’s firmament.

Knowing the position of the North Star, you can easily navigate in space. Draw a plumb line from Polyarnaya down. The place where it intersects with the horizon will point north. The rest of the cardinal directions are easy to find: east will be on the right, south behind you, and west on the left. So, guided by the stars, in Russia in the Middle Ages they built the Moscow-Yaroslavl and Moscow-Vladimir roads, straight as an arrow.

Secrets of the constellation Ursa Major: how different peoples saw it

Egypt "Bull's Thigh"

The ancient Egyptians were among the first astronomers in history, with some of their round stone "observatories" dating back as far as the fifth millennium BC. It was the Egyptians who laid the foundations of the constellation system that was borrowed from them by the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, the Greeks, the Arabs, and then modern science. At that dizzyingly distant time, due to the precession of the earth's axis, it was not the North Star that pointed north, but Alpha Draconis (Thuban). Its surroundings, together with the nearest luminaries, were considered by the Egyptians to be the “fixed sky,” the habitat of the gods. Instead of a ladle, the priests could see the leg of Set, the god of war and death, who turned into a bull and killed Osiris with a blow of his hoof. Falcon-headed Horus cut off his limb in revenge for the murder of his father.

China "Emperor Shangdi's Cart"

Astronomers Ancient China divided the sky into 28 vertical sectors, “houses,” through which the Moon passes on its monthly journey, just as the Sun passes through the signs of the Zodiac in its annual rotation in Western astrology, which borrowed the 12-sector division from the Egyptians. In the center of the heavens, like an emperor in the capital of a state, the Chinese placed the North Star, which by that time had already taken its usual place. The seven brightest stars of the Big Dipper are located in honorable proximity to it, within the Purple Fence - one of the three Fences surrounding the palace of the “royal” star. They could be described as the Northern Dipper, whose orientation corresponds to the seasons, or as part of the carriage of the Shangdi Heavenly Emperor.

India "Seven Wise Men"

Observational astronomy in ancient india did not develop as brilliantly as, say, mathematics. Her ideas were tested big influence on the part of both Greece and China - for example, the 27-28 “parking stations” (nakshatras) through which the Moon passes in about a month are very reminiscent of the Chinese lunar “houses”. Hindus also attached great importance to the North Star, which, according to experts in the Vedas, is the abode of Vishnu himself. The Ladle asterism located underneath it was considered the Saptarishas - seven sages born from the mind of Brahma, the forefathers of the world of our era (Kali Yuga) and everyone living in it.

Greece "Bear"

Ursa Major is one of 48 constellations listed in Ptolemy's star catalog around 140 BC, although it was first mentioned much earlier, in Homer. The intricate Greek myths offer different backstories for its appearance, although everyone agrees that the bear is the beautiful Callisto, companion of the hunter goddess Artemis. According to one version, using his usual tricks with transformation, the loving Zeus seduced her, provoking the wrath of both his wife Hera and Artemis herself. Saving his mistress, the Thunderer turned her into a bear, who wandered in the mountain forests for many years until her own son, born of Zeus, met her while hunting. The Supreme God had to intervene once again. Preventing matricide, he ascended both to heaven.

America "Great Bear"

It seems that the Indians understood something about wild animals: in the Iroquois legend about the origin of the asterism, the “heavenly bear” does not have any tail. The three stars that form the handle of the ladle are three hunters pursuing the beast: Aliot draws a bow with an arrow embedded in it, Mizar carries a cauldron for cooking meat (Alcor), and Benetnash carries an armful of brushwood to light the fire. In the fall, when the Bucket turns and sinks low to the horizon, blood from a wounded bear drips down, painting the trees in variegated colors.

The closest bright star in Ursa Major– star South Alula or xi Ursa Major. This is a beautiful double star that can be separated into its components in a telescope with a lens greater than 80mm. Both components are similar in their characteristics to the Sun and each of them also has a satellite - a cool red dwarf! The distance to ξ Ursa Major is 29 sv. years. A little further away is the star θ - 44 light years from the Sun. Well, the farthest of the bright stars in the constellation is the red giant μ Ursa Major, one of the stars in the front “paw” of the Ursa Major. The distance to it is 249 light years.
The constellation Ursa Major is featured on the Alaska flag. The flag of White Sea Karelia, which was approved on June 21, 1918, depicts the Big Dipper. Also, the flag with the image of the Big Dipper is used by Irish left-wing radical organizations.
You can admire the Big Dipper during the day. This can easily be done by finding it on one of the interactive maps constellations. On the maps you can find other large and small constellations and look at them at close range.
Need I say that the huge constellation Ursa Major is a real treasure trove for a true astronomy lover?! This area of the sky contains a huge number of attractions accessible for observation with small telescopes: double and variable stars, several bright galaxies and dozens of weaker galaxies, scattered star cluster and even a planetary nebula. There is no way to fit descriptions of these objects into one article. Therefore, we decided to publish separate articles devoted to observations of the sights of the Big Dipper.

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Sources

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bear https://biguniverse.ru/posts/sozvezdie-bolshaya-medveditsa/ http://spacegid.com/sozvezdie-bolshoy-medveditsyi.html

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