Big Dipper

Big Dipper\ Ursa Major is a constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky. The seven stars of Ursa Major make up a figure resembling a ladle with a handle. The two brightest stars, Aliot and Dubhe, have magnitudes of 1.8 apparent magnitudes. According to the two extreme stars of this figure (α and β), you can find the Polar Star. The best visibility conditions are in March-April. It can be seen throughout Russia all year round (with the exception of the autumn months in the south of Russia, when the Big Dipper descends low to the horizon). The number of stars brighter than 6.0m is 125.

First classification - Yerk classification with allowance for luminosity (MCC). An additional factor affecting the shape 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 the luminosity. SrII, BaII, FeII, TiII depend especially strongly on the luminosity, which leads to a difference in the spectra of giant stars and dwarfs of the same Harvard spectral types. 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 the Harvard spectral type and luminosity class:


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

Stars of the constellation Ursa Major

Aliot\ Epsilon Ursa Major (ε Ursae Majoris) is the brightest star in the constellation. It is located on the 33rd place in brightness among all the stars in the visible part of the sky. Alioth is located at a distance of 80.84 light years from Earth. The star - A0pCr - is a white variable star of the type α² Canis Hounds. It has a strong magnetic field (100 times stronger than Earth's) that splits the different elements of the star's hydrogen fuel, then the angle of the spin axis to the magnetic field axis combines the various elements, sorted by magnetic properties, into a single line visible between Alioth and Earth. The elements react differently with different frequencies of light, refracting it, which is why Aliot has extremely strange spectral lines that fluctuate with a period of 5.1 days. In the case of Aliot, the axes of rotation and the magnetic field are at an angle of almost 90 degrees to each other. The temperature of the star is 9400K.

Dubhe(α Ursae Majoris) is the second brightest star. Dubhe is a multiple star, the main component is the orange giant K0III, which is in the helium burning stage. Its temperature is 6400K. The star is 300 times brighter than the Sun and 15 times larger in diameter. The second F0V and the 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\ This (η Ursae Majoris) is a white-blue main sequence star B3 V. Benetnash is already 10 million years old. The star is at a distance of about 100 sv. years from the Sun. Its temperature is 22,000K. It is 6 times larger than the Sun and 1350 times the luminosity.

Mizar - Alcor (ζ UMa) - a system of stars from 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 magnitude 4.0 and spectral type A7, the distance between Mizar A and Mizar B is 380 AU. That is, the period of circulation is several thousand years.

Alcor is the magnitude of Alcor 4.02, spectral type 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 St. years. Its temperature is 8200K.

Merak\ Beta Ursae Majoris (β Ursae Majoris) - A1V dwarf. 3 times the mass of the sun and 2 times the radius of the sun. It is 68 times greater than the luminosity of the Sun. Temperature - 9400K. It is located at a distance of 79.32 light years (24.4 parsecs).

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

Megrets\ Delta (δ Ursae Majoris) - dwarf A3 V. 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. e. The star has 2 weak companions.

Taniya North \ Lambda (λ Ursae Majoris) - white subgiant A2 IV. It is removed 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 radiates 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 St. 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.

Talita Northern \ Talitha Borealis (ι Ursae Majoris) - white subgiant A7 IV. It is located at a distance of 47.68 St. 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). These two stars revolve around each other with a period of 39.7 years and are separated by about 0.7 arcseconds. Iota A is 1.7 times larger in mass and 1.5 times larger in radius than the Sun. Its temperature is 7900K. The luminosity is 9 times greater than the Sun.

Talita South \ Kappa (κ Ursae Majoris) is a double star. Both stars are white dwarfs A0IV-V + A0V. The orbital period of revolution 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 over 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. The temperature is around 4300K. And the mass is 4 times that of the Sun. The stars are distant from us at a distance of 420.9 sv. years. The second star is a G1V yellow dwarf whose luminosity is 30% greater than that of the Sun.

Alula South\ Xi (ξ Ursae Majoris) is a star system. That this is a double system was understood by William Herschel on May 2, 1780. It was the first visual binary star, whose orbit was calculated by Felix Savary in 1828. The two stars are G0 Ve/G0 Ve yellow dwarfs of the main sequence. They are classified as Variable RS Hounds. 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. Each star has a companion. The star Alula Aa has an M3 class companion. Alula Ba has a companion - a brown dwarf or a 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) - 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 stronger 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) - orange giant K1 III. The star is at a distance of 146.7 sv. years from Earth. It is 20 times the radius of the Sun. And radiates 148 times. Temperature - 4500K. Rotation around its axis - 1.1 km / s (1 revolution in 2.6 years). Tien Tsan began its life 300 million years 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 St. years. Her 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 Shield type variable. It has an orange dwarf companion K7v. Mass 0.63 solar.

Muscida\ Omicron (ο Ursae Majoris) - G4 II–III yellow giant. It is located at a distance of about 183.4 St. years. Its mass is about 2.42 solar masses. The radius is 14 times that of the Sun. Radiates in 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) is a double star. Main component yellow subgiant F2 IV. This variable star is of the Delta Scuti type. Rotation speed 124 km / s. (1.4 days). Its temperature is 7300 K. The luminosity is 30 times greater than the Sun. The star has a companion - the red dwarf M0V. With a mass of 0.5 solar. The stars are at a distance of 114.9 sv. years from Earth.

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

Theta(θ Ursae Majoris) is a binary system of stars. The main star is a yellow subgiant F6 IV. They are located at a distance of 43.93 St. 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. The McDonald Observatory suggests that the star has planets with masses between 0.24 and 4.6 Jupiter masses and orbits between 0.05 and 5.2 AU.

Deep space objects in the constellation Ursa Major


Nebulae

M97- the owl nebula is a planetary nebula. First opener - Pierre Mechain 16.02. 1781 The nebula is located at a distance of 2598 sv. years from us. Photographic magnitude (B) - 12.0. Visible dimensions 3.4" × 3.3". A 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 see the nebula well, you need a telescope from 150 - 200 mm. Size in diameter - 2.2 St. 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 has become incorrect. 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. And also discovered the existence of small black holes with a mass of 500 times the mass of the Sun. Most of the stars in the galaxy were born 500 million years ago. The galaxy is at a distance of 12.09 million light years. Redshift - 203 ± 4 km/s. Visible dimensions - 11`.2 × 4`.3. Size across - 39420 St. 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 erupted in the galaxy. The galaxy is at a distance of 11.7 million km. years. (3.6 parsecs). The galaxy contains about 250 billion stars, fewer than the Milky Way. The Bode galaxy is in gravitational interaction with the spiral galaxy NGC 3077. This influence tears off a layer of hydrogen from 3 galaxies (M81, M82 and NGC 3077) and leads to star formation in the centers of galaxies. The galaxies M81, M82 are visible through a telescope from 75 mm. To distinguish details, you need a telescope with an aperture of 20 cm or more. The galaxy is at a distance of 12 mil. years. Visible dimensions 24.9" × 11.5". Photographic magnitude mB 7.8. Redshift −0.000140 ± 0.000040. The size in diameter is 86,980 St. years.

Galaxy Pinwheel - M 101 - spiral galaxy SA(sr)c. The first discoverer - Pierre Mechain 03/27/1781. 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 St. years. Previously, the Pinwheel galaxy experienced collisions with other galaxies, which follows from some asymmetry. On August 24, 2011, a type Ia supernova erupted in this galaxy. 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" × 26". Photographic magnitude mB 8.2. Redshift - 0.0013±0.0002. The galaxy can be observed in a telescope with a diameter of 50 mm or more. Under good conditions and a telescope with a diameter of 150 mm or more, you can make out details: stars and spiral arms.

M 108- barred spiral galaxy (Sc). It was discovered by Pierre Mechain on February 16, 1781. The galaxy is visible almost edge-on. This galaxy has a mass of about 125 billion solar masses. And it includes 290 ± 80 globular clusters. With the help of the Chandra X-ray observatory, 83 X-ray sources were found. In the center is a supermassive black hole equal to 24 million solar masses. Photographic magnitude mB 10.6. Redshift +0.002328 ± 0.000003. The galaxy is at a distance of 44.97 million light years. years from us. The size in diameter is 112,000 St. 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 removed at 1142 km / s. The first discoverer - Pierre Mechain 04/12/1781. The galaxy has 3 satellites: galaxies UGC 6923, UGC 6940 and UGC 6969, possibly more. In March 1956 A supernova Ia erupted in the galaxy M 109. Photographic magnitude mB 10.6. Redshift +0.003496 ± 0.000010. The size in diameter is 120,000 St. years.

NGC 2768- elliptical galaxy (E6). First discoverer William Herschel 19.04. 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. The size in diameter is 117,200 St. years.

NGC 2841- spiral galaxy (Sb). The first discoverer - 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" × 3.5". Size across - 121,400 St. years.

NGC 2976- spiral galaxy Sc/P. The first discoverer - William Herschel 11/8/1801. The galaxy contains many dark bands and stellar clumps closer to the disk. It does not have distinct spiral arms due to gravitational interactions with 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 across - 20 600 St. years.

NGC 3077- spiral galaxy (Sd). The first discoverer - William Herschel 11/08/1801. The galaxy has an active nucleus. The galaxy is at a distance of 12.96 million light years. years. Photographic magnitude mB 10.6 Apparent dimensions 5.2" × 4.7" Redshift +0.000040 ± 0.000013. The size in diameter is 19,600 St. years.

NGC 3184- barred spiral galaxy (SBc). The first discoverer was William Herschel on March 18, 1787. The galaxy is located at a distance of about 36.84 million sv. years from Earth. NGC 3184 has a high abundance of heavy elements. In 1999, a type II supernova erupted in this galaxy; in addition, NGC 3184 has a high content of heavy metals. Redshift 0.001975. The size in diameter is 79,400 St. years.

NGC 3198- barred spiral galaxy (SBc). The first discoverer was William Herschel on 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. The size in diameter is 118,600 St. years.

NGC 3359- barred spiral galaxy (SBc). The first discoverer was William Herschel on November 28, 1793. Apparent 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. The size in diameter is 88,800 St. years.

NGC 3675- spiral galaxy (Sb). The first discoverer - William Herschel 01/14/1788. 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. The size in diameter is 116,800 St. years.

NGC 3726- barred spiral galaxy (SBc). The first discoverer was William Herschel on 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 supernova explosions were registered in the galaxy: SN 1961U, SN 1964L and SN 2005ay. The number of objects registered in NGC 3938 is 164 objects. The galaxy is located at a distance of about 43 million sv. years from Earth. Apparent dimensions 5.4" × 4.9" Photographic magnitude mB 10.8

NGC 3953- spiral galaxy SBbc. The first discoverer was William Herschel on April 12, 1789. Two supernova explosions were registered 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. The first discoverer was William Herschel on 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 material accreting into it. Visible dimensions 5.2" × 3.9" Photographic magnitude mB 10.8. Redshift +0.002336

NGC 4605- spiral galaxy SBc/P. The first discoverer was William Herschel on April 19, 1790. Apparent 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. The size in diameter is 30,200 St. years.

IC 2574(Coddington Nebula) is a dwarf irregular galaxy. It has 2 irregularly shaped sleeves. 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 at a distance of 11.76 million sv. years. Visible dimensions 12.3" × 5.9". The size in diameter is 44,040 St. years

how many stars are in the big dipper? and got the best answer

Answer from Daniel Friedman[guru]

The Big Dipper consists of SEVEN stars. .
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) - "the beginning of the tail"; Aliot (ε) - the meaning is not clear; Mizar (ζ) - "sash" or "loincloth". The last star in the bucket handle is called Benetnash or Alkaid (η); in Arabic, "al-Qaeed our banat" means "the leader of the mourners."
Ursa Major (lat. Ursa Major) is a constellation in the northern hemisphere of the sky. The seven stars of Ursa Major make up a figure resembling a ladle with a handle. The two brightest stars, Aliot and Dubhe, have magnitudes of 1.8 apparent magnitudes. According to the two extreme stars of this figure (α and β), you can find the Polar Star. The best visibility conditions are in March-April. It can be seen throughout Russia.
Ursa Major is the third largest constellation of constellations, seven bright stars of which form the famous Big Dipper; this asterism has been known since antiquity among many nations under different names: Plow, Elk, Wagon, Seven Wise Men, etc.
Another interpretation of the asterism is reflected in the alternative name of the Hearse and the Weepers. Here, asterism is thought of as a funeral procession: in front of the mourners, led by a leader, behind them are a funeral stretcher. This explains the name of the star η Ursa Major "the leader of the mourners".
It is curious that the 5 inner stars of the Bucket (except for the extreme α and η) really form a single group in space - the moving cluster of Ursa Major, which moves quite quickly across the sky; Dubhe and Benetnash are moving in the opposite direction, so the shape of the Dipper changes significantly in about 100,000 years.
The stars Merak and Dubhe, which form the wall of the Bucket, are called Pointers, since the straight line drawn through them rests on the North Star (in the constellation Ursa Minor). All the stars of the Bucket have a brightness of 2-3 magnitudes.
Next to Mizar, which was the second among the double stars discovered in the telescope (G. Riccioli in 1650), the keen eye sees a star of magnitude 4 Alcor (80 Ursa Major), which in Arabic means “forgotten”, or “insignificant”. It is believed that the ability to distinguish the star Alcor has been a recognized test of vigilance since ancient times. The pair of stars Mizar and Alcor is often interpreted as the Horse and Rider asterism.

Answer from 2 answers[guru]

Hey! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: how many stars are in the big dipper?

Ursa Major is a constellation with which schoolchildren get acquainted in the 2nd grade, taking the course "The world around us".

It is important for children to learn how to find the star "bucket" in the night sky, because the constellation is a guide for searching for many other celestial objects.

Description of the constellation Ursa Major

Ursa Major (Ursa Major) is the 3rd largest constellation in the northern hemisphere. The common name for the celestial object is the Big Dipper, since the seven main stars form a figure that looks like a bucket with a long handle.

On the territory of Eastern Europe and all of Russia, the object is observed throughout the year(the exception is autumn in the southern regions of Russia, when the constellation is too low above the horizon). The best visibility is in early spring.

The Big Dipper has been known to mankind since ancient times, and is significant in many cultures. The constellation is mentioned in the Bible and Homer's story "The Odyssey", its description is in the writings of Ptolemy.

The ancient peoples associated the star figure with a camel, a plow, a boat, a sickle, a basket. In Germany, the constellation is called the Great Basket, in China - the Imperial Chariot, in the Netherlands - the Pot, in the Arab countries - the Grave of the Mourners.

How many stars are in the constellation Ursa Major? There are seven in total, and all of them in different countries have interesting names. The inhabitants of Mongolia call them the Seven Gods, the Hindus - the Seven Wise Men.

In the representation of the American Indians, the three stars that form the "dipper handle" are three hunters chasing a bear. Alpha and beta constellations are also called "pointers", because with the help of these stars it is easy to find the North Star.

Bucket of the Big Dipper in autumn, winter, spring, summer

At different times of the year, the position of the "bear" is not the same relative to the horizon. For better orientation, use a compass.

On a clear spring night, a cluster of stars is directly above the observer. From mid-April, the "bucket" begins to move west. During the summer, the constellation gradually moves to the northwest, descends. In the last days of August, the stars can be seen in the north, as low as possible above the horizon.

In the autumn sky, it is noticeable how the constellation slowly rises, during the winter months, as you can see in the diagram below, moving to the northeast, it again rises as high as possible above the horizon by spring.

To quickly find the constellation, you should remember that in summer it is located in the northwest, in autumn - in the north, in winter - in the northeast, in spring - directly above the observer.

Depending on the time of day, the position of the star figure changes relative not only to the vault of heaven, but also to its own axis. The image below shows that in the evening in January-February, the "ladle" is in the northeast (in the picture on the right), and its "handle" is directed downwards.

During the night, the constellation passes a semicircle, in the morning it reaches the northwest (in the picture on the left), and the "handle" rushes up.

In July-August, daily changes are opposite. The same contrast is noted in the spring and autumn months.

The position of the constellation in the sky is characterized by a daily change, specific for each season of the year.

Stars of Ursa Major

Answering the question, how many stars are in the Big Dipper, indicate the 7 most noticeable points. This seven forms the same “bucket”, which is clearly visible in the night sky.

But in reality, the constellation is more extensive, consists of a larger number of points. Stars of lesser brightness form the legs and muzzle of the "bear".

The seven main stars that make up the constellation include:

1. Dubhe("bear") - the alpha of the constellation, the second most intense glow. One of two signposts to the North Pole. A red giant that is 125 light years away from Earth.
2. Merak(translated as "loin") - a beta star, the second pointer to the North Pole. The object is about 80 light-years distant from Earth, slightly larger than the Sun, and emits a powerful stream of infrared radiation.
3. Fekda("thigh") - gamma, a dwarf star located at a distance of just under 85 light-years from our planet.
4. Megrets(from Arabic "base") - delta, a blue dwarf, more than 80 light-years from Earth. The object is so named because it is the base of the long tail of the "heavenly beast".
5. Aliot("tail") - epsilon, the brightest point of the constellation, is in 31st place in terms of the luminosity of objects visible in the sky (magnitude 1.8). White star, luminosity 108 times higher than that of the Sun. One of 57 celestial objects used in navigation.
6. Mizar(from Arabic "belt") - a zeta star, the fourth brightest in the "bucket". The star is double, there is a less bright companion - Alcor.
7. Alkaid("leader") or Benetnash ("crying") - this star, the third in luminosity, the end of the "bear's tail". Blue dwarf, distance - 100 light years from our planet.

The total number of objects in the constellation is about 125.

Of these, three pairs of stars located on the same line, located at a short distance from each other, should be noted:

• Alula Borealis (nude constellation) and Alula Australis (xi);
• Thania Borealis (lambda) and Thania Australis (mu);
• Talita Borealis (iota) and Talita Australis (kappa).

These three pairs are also known as the three gazelle jumps and are located at the bottom of the star cluster on the map below.

The figure shows the location of the main seven stars and objects of the Talita, Thania and Alula groups.

Legend of the Big Dipper

There is an ancient Greek myth by which one can understand why the constellation Ursa Major is so called.

Callisto, heiress of King Lycaon, was one of the most beautiful nymphs who served Artemis. Zeus turned his gaze to the beauty. He took the form of Artemis and seduced the girl. The goddess got angry when she noticed in the bath that her beloved nymph was pregnant and drove her away. The unfortunate Callisto went to the mountains, where she gave birth to her son Arkas.

But the misadventures of the nymph did not stop there. Hera, the wife of the seductive god, found out about Arkas, the illegitimate son of Zeus, and in revenge turned her rival into a bear. As an adult, Arkas took up hunting. Once in the mountains, he ran into a bear, but he could not even think that his own mother was in front of him. The young man wanted to shoot an arrow at the beast, but Zeus stopped him.

The main god did not allow the son to commit a terrible act, but could not break the curse given by the Hero. Taking pity on the unfortunate Callisto, Zeus turned her and his son into stars and sent them to heaven. So the Big Dipper appeared in the sky, and next to it was the son - the Little Dipper.

How to find the Big Dipper in the sky

In the temperate zone of Russia, the "bear" refers to non-setting constellations, as it is located near the North Pole. Finding a "bucket" in the sky in the evening and at night is not difficult. It is enough to see a star cluster once to remember what it looks like.

Below in the photo you can see what a "bucket" might look like in the night sky.

For those living at the latitude of Moscow, it is best to observe the star cluster on an April night. In the time interval between 23 and 24 hours, the "ladle" will be at its zenith. The observer will only have to build a figure by points.

If it’s not April outside the window, then you should look for the “bear” in other areas of the sky:

• January-February - northeast, angle above the horizon 30 - 70 °, the figure is located vertically;
• March - east, angle 50 - 80 °, the figure is almost vertical;
• May - west, 60 - 90 °, the "ladle" is tilted down by 60 - 80 °;
• June-July - northwest, elevation above the horizon 40 - 70 °, tilt of the figure down 20 - 60 °;
• August-September - northwest (closer to the north), 20 - 50 °, the figure is parallel to the horizon;
• October - north, angle 20 - 30 °, the "ladle" is tilted upwards by 10 - 30 °;
• November-December - northeast (closer to the north), 20 - 40 °, the figure is tilted upwards by 30 - 80 °.

After getting acquainted with the Big Dipper, the possibilities of studying the starry sky are significantly expanded. The North Star is the first thing that can be found, knowing the location of the large "bucket". And the Polar (alpha star Ursa Minor) is the main celestial landmark in the cardinal points.

The constellation Ursa Major is located in the northern hemisphere of the starry sky.. People have known it for thousands of years. The astronomers of Egypt, Babylon, China and Ancient Greece knew him. It was included by Claudius Ptolemy in his monograph Almagest as early as the 2nd century. And this work combined all the knowledge of astronomy at that time.

If we talk about mythology, then the ancient Greeks associated this constellation with the myth of the nymph Callisto. Zeus, the god of thunder and lightning, drew attention to her. It is not known whether his feeling for the nymph was mutual or not, but she soon gave birth to a boy Arcade. The proud goddess Hera, the wife of the loving Thunderer, found out about this. In a fit of jealousy, she turned Callisto into a bear.

Time passed, Arkad became a teenager and one day he met his mother in the forest. But he did not guess this, because before him stood a furry beast. The young man raised his bow, about to shoot an arrow at him. However, Zeus, tormented by remorse, did not allow his former mistress to be killed. Directly from heaven, he extended his divine hand, grabbed the bear by the tail and lifted her into the blue sky. This is how a new constellation appeared in the sky, which was once the beautiful nymph Callisto.

This education includes 7 stars. If you connect them with a straight line, you get a figure that resembles a bucket with a handle. Each star has its own name. At the top of the bucket, opposite the handle, there is a star called Dubhe. It is the second brightest among its cosmic counterparts. This is a multiple star. That is, several stars from the Earth are seen as one due to the 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 reserves of hydrogen, and a thermonuclear reaction is taking place on the surface of the star. It dies, and over time 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 ladle, is the star Merak. This is a very bright light. It is 69 times brighter than our Sun, but due to the vast 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 rest against the North Star. It is located at a distance that is 5 times the distance between the indicated luminaries.

The other extreme lower point of the bucket is called Fekda. This is a Main Sequence star. The upper point of the bucket opposite it is called Megrets. She is the dullest in a friendly company. This star is almost 1.5 times larger than our star and 14 times brighter.

At the beginning of the handle is the star 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 the star Mizar. Next to it is another luminary, which is called Alcor. Anyone with good eyesight can see it. They say that in ancient times, Alcor was used to test the visual acuity of young boys who aspired to become sailors. If a young man could see this star next to Mizar, then he was enlisted as a sailor.

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

And finally, the most extreme star. It's called Benetnash or Alkaid. All these names are taken from the Arabic language. In this case, the literal translation means "the leader of the mourners." That is, the al-qaid is the leader, and our banat is the mourners. This luminary is the third brightest after Aliot and Dubhe. It ranks 35th among the brightest stars in the sky.

This is how you can characterize the constellation Ursa Major, known since ancient times. This space region also includes many galaxies. For example, the Pinwheel galaxy. It is better known as M 101. In size, it exceeds the Milky Way. Her detailed pictures 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 2 dark spots located side by side. In 1848, Lord Ross considered these spots to be like the eyes of an owl. That's where the name came from. This nebula is about 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 the likely sources of extraterrestrial intelligence. In this part of space there is a certain star named 47UMa. It is a yellow dwarf, and its planetary system is very similar to our solar system. At least, today 3 planets are known that revolve around this star. In 2003, a radio message was sent to him. Earthlings are persistently looking for brothers in mind, and stubborn ones are always lucky.

goes constellation Big Dipper. I am sure it will not sound loud that this constellation is the most recognizable in the entire northern hemisphere due to its 7 bright stars, shaped like a bucket.

Legend and history

The name of the constellation was in honor of the nymph Callisto. There are many different legends. One of them has the following content.

According to ancient Greek legend, Zeus saw a beautiful girl, the nymph Callisto, and fell in love with her. Callisto was one of the virgins who accompanied the goddess Diana the hunter. Zeus took the form of Diana and became close to Callisto. Seeing this, the real Diana sent her away from her eyes. Hera, the wife of Zeus, having learned about such an act, turned the nymph into a bear. The son of Callisto, Arkad, when he grew up, met his mother. But he did not recognize her in the form of a bear. Zeus, fearing that his son would kill his mother, placed both of them in the sky in the form of the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. But even in the sky, Callisto did not know peace. Hera begged the gods not to allow the she-bear to plunge into the ocean. Since then, the bear nymph has been circling the sky without setting below the horizon.

Ursa Major is one of the most ancient constellations of the starry sky. It has the same name among the Slavs, Indians, Greeks. Included in the starry sky catalog of Claudius Ptolemy "Almagest".

The seven stars of the Big Dipper make up a figure that forms an asterism bucket with a handle. But this is only a small part of the constellation itself.

Characteristics

Latin name	Ursa Major
Reduction	UMa
Area	1280 sq. degrees (3rd place)
right ascension	From 7 h 58 m to 14 h 25 m
declination	From +29° to +73° 30′
The brightest stars< 3 m)
Number of stars brighter than 6 m	125
meteor showers	Ursids
neighboring constellations
constellation visibility	+90° to −16°
Hemisphere	Northern
Time for observation on the territory Belarus, Russia and Ukraine	March

The most interesting objects to observe in the constellation Ursa Major

Constellation Ursa Major

1. Planetary nebula "Owl" (M 97)

With a mass of only 0.15 solar, it has a brightness of 9.9 m. It got its name in connection with the similarity with the eyes of an owl. It can only be detected with a professional telescope in good weather conditions. According to scientists, the age is about 6 thousand years. It is located on the bottom of the Ursa Major bowl:

The search for the planetary nebula "Owl"

2. Optically double star M 40

Charles Messier in the 18th century was looking for a nebula that Jan Hevelia mistakenly described, but in its place he discovered a faint double star. It was decided to catalog it under the serial number 40 ( M40). These are two stars with a brightness of 9 m and 9.3 m. As calculations show, this is an optical binary star, that is, both stars are not connected to each other in any way, but are located close along the line of sight. The location in the sky relative to the bucket is shown below:

3. Spiral galaxy M 101

Popularly a spiral galaxy M 101 nicknamed "Pinwheel". Has a brightness of 7.7 m. It cannot be observed through binoculars, due to the weak surface brightness. No matter how hard I tried, it didn't work. But already in amateur telescopes, you can see the bright central part. The photo shows that M 101 asymmetric: the nucleus of the galaxy is far from the center of the disk. This galaxy has been well studied by scientists: it was observed in 1909, 1951 and 1970.

It is not difficult to find it in the starry sky, and beginners often begin to practice with it.

Spiral Galaxy "Pinwheel" (M 101)

4. Spiral galaxy M 108

A galaxy that can be found in semi-professional or professional telescopes. As a rule, it is searched for in tandem with the planetary nebula "Owl" (2), due to its close location. Has a brightness of 10.0 m .

5 Spiral Galaxy M 109

In some sources you can find its other name - "A vacuum cleaner". It is located not far from the gamma Ursa Major, and, despite the fact that it has a brightness of only 9.8 m, you can try to find it with a telescope. M 109 has at least three satellite galaxies of its own. Taking the star Fad (Fekda) as a reference point, we move smoothly and slowly to the west - after a few seconds we try to recognize and detect the desired galaxy:

M 109 or Galaxy "Vacuum Cleaner"

6. Pair of galaxies M 81 and M 82

Two adjacent galaxies M 81 and M 82

Probably the most key objects to observe in the constellation Ursa Major. First, they are not hard to find; secondly, both have an accessible magnitude for observation even in amateur telescopes: 6.9 m and 8.4 m, respectively; thirdly, with close proximity to each other at a small magnification, they can be seen simultaneously in the telescope lens, approximately, as shown in the photograph above. An example search route is shown below:

Above the Bode Nebula is the Cigar Galaxy

Considering both galaxies separately, it is worth adding that M81 or the Bode Nebula is a beautiful spiral galaxy. She deforms her "neighbor" with a gravitational field. Thanks to the Hubble telescope, it was possible to study 32 variable stars inside M81.

Galaxy M 82 or "Cigar" has an irregular shape (refers to) and is weaker compared to M81. Inside it is active star formation. At the center of the galaxy is a supermassive