Ursa Major constellation
Latin Ursa Major, genitive Ursae Majoris, abbreviation UMa
North up, east to the left, as you see the sky. The lines are a common figure; the stars are from the catalogue.
The myth
Callisto, loved by Zeus and turned into a bear by Hera; Zeus set her in the sky. Seven of her stars are the Big Dipper or Plough, the best-known star pattern of the north, which never sets for most of Europe. Extend the line of its two end stars five times and you reach Polaris. Beside Mizar in the handle stands a small companion, Alcor, once a test of good eyesight.
When can Ursa Major be seen?
It stands highest around 10 pm in April. It can be seen from everywhere north of 27°S, and it never sets north of 58°N.
The brightest stars
| Star | Designation | Magnitude | Colour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alioth | ε UMa | 1.77 | bluish |
| Dubhe | α UMa | 1.79 | orange |
| Alkaid | η UMa | 1.86 | bluish |
| Mizar | ζ UMa | 2.27 | white |
| Merak | β UMa | 2.37 | bluish |
| Phecda | γ UMa | 2.44 | white |
| – | ψ UMa | 3.01 | orange |
| Tania Australis | μ UMa | 3.05 | reddish |
The smaller the number, the brighter: below 1 are the brightest stars of the sky, 4 is hard to see under a city sky. Greek letters after Johann Bayer (1603).