Little Dipper
The Little Dipper is an asterism, a star pattern that is not one of the 88 official constellations, made of seven stars in Ursa Minor. Its brightest star is Polaris (magnitude 2.02), and it is best seen in the evening in July.
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How to find the Little Dipper, step by step
The pointer stars lead to Polaris.
- Find the Big Dipper and its two pointer stars, Merak and Dubhe.
- Follow them about five times their distance to Polaris, the end of the Little Dipper's handle.
- Kochab and Pherkad mark the far end of the bowl; the rest of the Little Dipper is faint and needs a dark sky.
Little Dipper or Pleiades?
The Pleiades star cluster (M45) also looks like a tiny dipper and is often mistaken for the Little Dipper. The Pleiades are much smaller, lie in Taurus far from the pole, and are best seen in autumn and winter.
How to use it
Polaris, the North Star, is the end of its handle; only Polaris, Kochab and Pherkad are easy to see from a city.
How to find the Little Dipper
From 40° N (the USA, southern Europe, Japan) it never sets and is visible every clear night, highest in the north about 50° up. From 35° S (Australia, South Africa, Argentina) it stays below the horizon.
Stars of the Little Dipper
| Star | Designation | Magnitude | Distance | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polaris | α Ursae Minoris | 2.02 | 432 ly | Ursa Minor |
| Kochab | β Ursae Minoris | 2.08 | 131 ly | Ursa Minor |
| Pherkad | γ Ursae Minoris | 3.05 | 766 ly | Ursa Minor |
| — | ε Ursae Minoris | 4.23 | — | Ursa Minor |
| — | ζ Ursae Minoris | 4.32 | — | Ursa Minor |
| Yildun | δ Ursae Minoris | 4.36 | 182 ly | Ursa Minor |
| — | η Ursae Minoris | 4.95 | — | Ursa Minor |
Questions about the Little Dipper
Is the Little Dipper a constellation?
No. The Little Dipper is an asterism: its stars belong to the constellation Ursa Minor, one of the 88 constellations defined by the International Astronomical Union.
What is the brightest star of the Little Dipper?
Polaris, with an apparent magnitude of 2.02, about 432 light-years away.
When can I see the Little Dipper?
It is highest in the evening sky in July. From mid-northern latitudes it never sets.
Other asterisms
Big DipperUrsa Major
Orion's BeltOrion
Summer TriangleLyra, Aquila and Cygnus
Winter TriangleCanis Major, Canis Minor and Orion
Winter HexagonCanis Major, Auriga, Orion, Canis Minor, Taurus and Gemini
Great Square of PegasusAndromeda and Pegasus
TeapotSagittarius
Northern CrossCygnus
Spring TriangleBoötes, Virgo and Leo
Sickle of LeoLeo
KeystoneHercules
False CrossCarina and Vela
Southern PointersCentaurus