Ursa Minor

English name Lesser Bear, Little Bear or Little Dipper

Major
stars alpha Ursae Minoris Polaris magn. 2,1 RA: 02h 31m 48.28s Dec: +89° 15' 50.7"
beta Ursae Minoris Kochab magn. 2,2 RA: 14h 50m 42.39s Dec: +74° 09' 19.7"
gamma Ursae Minoris Pherkad magn. 3,1 RA: 15h 20m 43.73s Dec: +71° 50' 02.5"

Description The constellation of Ursa Minor, though not very brilliant, is important since it contains the North Pole, indicated by Polaris, the principal star of the constellation.
Polaris is a yellow supergiant which is about 600 light-years away: it is not exactly at the North Pole, but it is at a distance of less than one degree; because of the precession, however, it is approaching the Pole (it will return to get further after 2100). Polaris is a variable star, which oscillates between magnitude 2,1 and 2,2 with a period of about 4 days, and besides it is a double star, considering that it has a companion of ninth magnitude.

Mythology
and history According to Aratus, the constellation represents one of the two nymphs who raised the new-born Zeus: in particular it is Ida, while the other, Adrastea, is identified in Ursa Maior.

English name	Lesser Bear, Little Bear or Little Dipper

Major stars	alpha Ursae Minoris	Polaris	magn. 2,1	RA: 02h 31m 48.28s	Dec: +89° 15' 50.7"
	beta Ursae Minoris	Kochab	magn. 2,2	RA: 14h 50m 42.39s	Dec: +74° 09' 19.7"
	gamma Ursae Minoris	Pherkad	magn. 3,1	RA: 15h 20m 43.73s	Dec: +71° 50' 02.5"

Description	The constellation of Ursa Minor, though not very brilliant, is important since it contains the North Pole, indicated by Polaris, the principal star of the constellation. Polaris is a yellow supergiant which is about 600 light-years away: it is not exactly at the North Pole, but it is at a distance of less than one degree; because of the precession, however, it is approaching the Pole (it will return to get further after 2100). Polaris is a variable star, which oscillates between magnitude 2,1 and 2,2 with a period of about 4 days, and besides it is a double star, considering that it has a companion of ninth magnitude.

Mythology and history	According to Aratus, the constellation represents one of the two nymphs who raised the new-born Zeus: in particular it is Ida, while the other, Adrastea, is identified in Ursa Maior.

Ursa Minor

Back to constellations page.