Ursa Minor (Constellation)
Contents
Overview
Ursa Minor, the Lesser Bear, is a circumpolar constellation of northern latitudes. It is also the most northerly of the constellations with its brightest star Polaris (α UMi) positioned almost directly above Earth's north pole.
Bright stars in Ursa Minor
Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris / α UMi / HIP11767)
With an apparent magnitude of +1.95 Polaris is the brightest star in Ursa Minor. It is also the closest 'bright' star to the celestial north pole, or to put it another way, almost directly above Earth's north pole. Polaris is actually a triple star system comprising of the stars Polaris Aa, Ab, and B.
Kocab (or Kochab) (Beta Ursae Minoris / β UMi / HIP72607)
A K class variable star located 126.47 light years away.
Pherkad (Gamma Ursae Minoris / γ UMi / HIP72097)
An A class star with a spectral type of A3II-III located 480.35 light years from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of +3.
Yildun (or Vildiur / Gildun) (Delta Ursae Minoris / δ UMi / HIP85822 / HD166205 / HR6789)
An A class star with a spectral type of A1Vn located 182.72 light years from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of +4.35.
Epsilon Ursae Minoris (ε UMi / HIP82080)
An G class variable star with a spectral type of G5III located 346.61 light years from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of +4.2.
Alifa al Farkadain (Zeta Ursae Minoris / ζ UMi / HIP77055)
An A class star with a spectral type of A3Vn located 375.76 light years from our solar system and has an apparent magnitude of +4.25.
Anwar al Farkadain (Alasco) (Eta Ursae Minoris / η UMi / HIP79822)
An F class star with a spectral type of F5V located 97.3 light years from our solar system and has an apparent magnitude of +4.95.
5 Ursae Minoris (5 UMi / HIP70692)
A K class star with a spectral type of K4III located 344.77ly from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of +4.25.
4 Ursae Minoris (4 UMi / HIP69112)
A K class star with a spectral type of K3III located 500.24ly away and has an apparent magnitude of +4.8.
RR Ursae Minoris (RR UMi / HIP73199 / HD 132813 / HR 5589)
A cool red giant with a spectral type of M5III located 397.75ly away and has an apparent magnitude of +4.6.
Galaxies
Polarissima Borealis (NGC 3172 / GC 2043 / h 250)
A very faint (apparent magnitude +13.6) spiral galaxy located less than 1° from the north celestial pole.
NGC 6217
A barred spiral galaxy with an apparent magnitude of +11.2 located 60 million light-years[1] from Earth.
NGC 5832
A spiral galaxy of type SBb with an apparent magnitude of +12.
Bordering Constellations
Ursa Minor shares its borders with the only three constellations: Cepheus, Camelopardalis and Draco.
References
[1] Hubble Opens New Eyes on the Universe: News Release Number: STScI-2009-25, Accessed 14th July 2011 - http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2009/25/image/bc/
