Best Ursa Major
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Merak, designated Beta Ursae Majoris, is a white main-sequence star of spectral type A1IV–V located approximately 79 light-years from the Sun in the constellation Ursa Major. It is one of the seven stars that form the Big Dipper asterism and, together with Dubhe (Alpha Ursae Majoris), serves as one...
Dubhe, designated Alpha Ursae Majoris, is a binary star system located approximately 124 light-years from the Sun in the constellation Ursa Major. The primary component is an orange giant of spectral type K0III, while the companion is a main-sequence star of similar type in a wide orbit. Dubhe is on...
Alioth, designated Epsilon Ursae Majoris, is the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Major and the brightest of the seven stars comprising the Big Dipper asterism. It is an A-type star located approximately 83 light-years from the Sun and is classified as a chemically peculiar star, exhibiting...
Alkaid, designated Eta Ursae Majoris, is a blue-white main-sequence star located at the tip of the handle of the Big Dipper in Ursa Major. It is approximately 104 light-years from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of around 1.86, making it one of the brightest stars in the asterism. Unlike the oth...
Xi Ursae Majoris (also named Alula Australis) is a quadruple star system located approximately 27 to 29 light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. It holds the historical distinction of being the first binary star to have its orbit calculated, accomplished by French astronomer Félix Sav...
Alula Australis, designated Xi Ursae Majoris, is a multiple star system situated approximately 29 light-years from Earth in the northern constellation of Ursa Major. It historically holds significance as the first binary star system for which an orbital period was mathematically computed, achieved b...
Alcor is a white main sequence star of spectral type A5V located approximately 81 light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. With an apparent visual magnitude near 4.0, it forms a close naked-eye visual pair with Mizar in the handle of the Big Dipper. The two stars were historically use...
The Owl Nebula, formally Messier 97, is a planetary nebula located within the constellation Ursa Major. It’s notable for its distinctive ring structure and prominent dark patches resembling eyes. Discovered in 1781, it was initially observed by Pierre Mechain and later famously depicted by Lord Ross...
NGC 5471 is a giant H II region on the outskirts of the Pinwheel Galaxy M101, notable for its exceptional luminosity and energetic stellar remnants.
Megrez, designated Delta Ursae Majoris, is an A-type main-sequence star approximately 81 light-years from Earth. With an apparent magnitude of 3.3, it is the faintest of the seven stars that form the Big Dipper asterism in the constellation Ursa Major. Megrez marks the junction point where the handl...
Lalande 21185 is a red dwarf star in the constellation Ursa Major, located approximately 8.3 light-years from Earth, making it one of the nearest known stellar neighbors to the Solar System. It is classified as spectral type M2V and has an apparent magnitude of about 7.5, rendering it too faint to b...
47 Ursae Majoris is a yellow G-type main-sequence star located approximately 46 light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Ursa Major. It is notable for its close physical resemblance to the Sun and for hosting a multi-planet planetary system, a rarity among early exoplanet discoveries. The...
Iota Ursae Majoris, formally named Talitha, is a quadruple star system located approximately 48 light-years from Earth in the northern constellation of Ursa Major. The primary component is an A-type main-sequence star with an apparent magnitude bright enough to be visible to the naked eye. Talitha f...
Tania Australis is the traditional name of Mu Ursae Majoris, a star in the northern constellation Ursa Major. It is an evolved red giant of spectral type M located roughly 250 light-years from Earth and is visible to the unaided eye under suitable conditions. Its name is Arabic in origin and identif...
Muscida is the proper name of Omicron Ursae Majoris, a star system in the northern constellation Ursa Major. In traditional depictions of the Great Bear, it marks the animal's nose or muzzle, and its Latin-derived name likewise refers to the muzzle. The system lies roughly 180 light-years from Earth...
Alula Borealis, designated as ν Ursae Majoris, is an orange K-type giant star positioned approximately 400 light-years from Earth. Located in the northern constellation of Ursa Major, the star is traditionally paired in astronomical nomenclature with the nearby binary system Alula Australis. The nam...
Messier 97, commonly called the Owl Nebula, is a planetary nebula in Ursa Major discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781. It is a large, relatively faint object whose roughly circular shell contains two darker regions that inspired its owl-like name. The nebula consists of gas expelled by an evolved sta...
