Ursa Minor constellation
Ursa Minor (the Little Bear) is a constellation in the northern sky, best seen in the evening in June. Its brightest star is Polaris (magnitude 2.02). It contains the Little Dipper. Ursa Minor covers 256 square degrees and is the 56th-largest of the 88 constellations.
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How to find Ursa Minor, step by step
From the Big Dipper pointers to Polaris.
- Find the Big Dipper.
- Follow the two stars at the front of the bowl, Merak and Dubhe, about five times their distance to Polaris, the end of the Little Dipper's handle.
- From Polaris the handle curves to the bowl, whose two brightest stars, Kochab and Pherkad, are the "Guardians of the Pole". The other bowl stars are faint and need a dark sky.
Little Dipper or Ursa Minor?
For Ursa Minor the two are nearly the same: the seven stars of the Little Dipper make up almost the whole constellation. Polaris, at the end of the handle, is the North Star.
Detailed star map of Ursa Minor
Facts
| Latin name | Ursa Minor (genitive: Ursae Minoris) |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | UMi |
| Meaning | the Little Bear |
| Area | 256 square degrees (56th of 88) |
| Location | right ascension 15.0 h, declination +78° |
| Visible from | latitudes 90° N to 0° S (whole constellation) |
| Best month | June (at about 9 pm) |
| Brightest star | Polaris |
| Stars brighter than magnitude 6 | 26 |
| Named stars (IAU) | 4 |
| Messier objects | none |
| Neighbors | Camelopardalis, Cepheus, Draco |
How to find Ursa Minor
From 40° N (the USA, southern Europe, Japan) Ursa Minor is circumpolar: it never sets and is visible all night, all year, highest in the north about 52° above the horizon in June evenings. From 35° S (Australia, South Africa, Argentina) it stays below the horizon. The months before and after (May and July) are also good: then it is up a couple of hours earlier or later.
Ursa Minor borders Camelopardalis, Cepheus and Draco.
Asterisms with stars in Ursa Minor: Little Dipper.
Stars of Ursa Minor
Ursa Minor has 26 stars brighter than magnitude 6, the limit of the naked eye under a dark sky. These are the brightest:
| Star | Designation | Magnitude | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polaris | α Ursae Minoris | 2.02 | F7:Ib-II | 432 ly |
| Kochab | β Ursae Minoris | 2.08 | K4-III | 131 ly |
| Pherkad | γ Ursae Minoris | 3.05 | A3II-III | 766 ly |
| — | ε Ursae Minoris | 4.23 | G5III | — |
| — | 5 Ursae Minoris | 4.25 | K4-IIIBa0.3 | — |
| — | ζ Ursae Minoris | 4.32 | A3Vn | — |
| Yildun | δ Ursae Minoris | 4.36 | A1Vn | 182 ly |
Printable Ursa Minor map and outline
A black and white version for printing and a plain outline of the Ursa Minor figure, useful for school projects, worksheets and learning to recognize the shape.
History
Ursa Minor is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy in the Almagest (2nd century AD). Its official boundary was drawn by Eugène Delporte for the International Astronomical Union in 1930.
Questions about Ursa Minor
What is the brightest star in Ursa Minor?
Polaris, at magnitude 2.02, about 432 light-years away.
When can you see Ursa Minor?
Ursa Minor is best seen in the evening in June. The whole constellation is visible from latitudes between 90° N and 0° S.
How many stars are in Ursa Minor?
26 stars in Ursa Minor are brighter than magnitude 6 and can be seen with the naked eye under a dark sky; 4 of them have official IAU names.
What does Ursa Minor mean?
Ursa Minor means “the Little Bear” in Latin. Its abbreviation is UMi and the genitive, used in star names such as α Ursae Minoris, is Ursae Minoris.
