What galaxy is Ursa Major in? The number of bright stars in the Big Dipper bucket

The constellation Ursa Major is one of the most famous constellations located in the northern part of the sky. It belongs to the circumpolar and is visible in the northern hemisphere all year round, although in the autumn in the southern regions it can fall very low to the horizon. The Dipper's Dipper is easy to recognize and can usually be easily found by most people.

This constellation is located in the northern part of the sky, and can be found at any time of the year. By winter, it descends to the horizon, then begins to rise higher and higher. During the night, it manages to describe a large arc, thanks to the daily rotation of the Earth. In the spring it is best seen.

Stars of the constellation Ursa Major

The constellation Ursa Major is much larger than many people think, and is not limited to the well-known "bucket" of seven stars. In terms of area, it occupies the 3rd place among all constellations, after Hydra and Virgo. With the naked eye, you can see up to 125 stars in it.

The stars that form the "bucket" of Ursa Major are the brightest in this constellation, but they also have a brightness of about 2 magnitude, except for the delta - its brightness is 3.3m.

All the stars of the "bucket" have their own names - Dubhe, Merak, Fekda, Kaffa, Aliot, Mizar, and Benetnash. Perhaps the most famous of them is Mizar - the middle star in the handle of the "ladle". This star is a double, and with excellent vision, you can find its companion - Alcor.

Stars of the constellation Ursa Major.

Merak and Dubhe are called Pointers - if you draw a line through them and continue it further, then it will rest on the North Star. The constellations Ursa Minor and Ursa Major are located nearby, which greatly facilitates the task of finding the North Star.

All the stars of the "bucket" of Ursa Major, due to approximately the same brightness, seem to be equally distant from us. In fact, this is not at all the case. Some of these stars are closer, and some are much further than others. That they form such a figure is simply a matter of chance. Due to the proper motion of the stars in space, the figure of this constellation changes greatly over time. In 10 thousand years, people will not see such a form in the sky at all, as it was not even 10 thousand years ago. However, 5 of these stars fly in the same direction and are similar in their characteristics, which allows us to think about their relationship in terms of a common origin. They are called the moving group of stars Ursa Major.

Ursa Major is a constellation in which there are a lot of double and even multiple stars, but most of them are either too faint or too close to be observed in most amateur telescopes. There are also many variable stars here, but they are also quite dim and you will need a telescope or good binoculars to study them.

Mizar - sixfold system

Mizar is the middle star in the handle of the "ladle" of the Big Dipper. It is curious in that it is a double star, one of the most famous and easiest to observe. The second component, named Alcor, is a faint star with a magnitude of 4.02m, located at a distance of 12 arc minutes. Only people with excellent eyesight can see Alcor next to Mizar with the naked eye, so this has long been considered a kind of eye test.

For a long time there was no evidence of the physical relationship between Mizar and Alcor, because in space the distance between them is a quarter of a light year, and the orbital movement of stars is very slow. In 2009, such evidence was obtained, and now it is known that the Mizar-Alcor system is actually not even double, but six-fold!

Mizar itself, even in a small telescope, is visible as a double star - the distance between its A and B components is 15 arc seconds, and the stars have a brightness of about 4m. However, each of these components is also a close binary system! In total, Mizar is a fourfold star. Component A consists of a pair of hot white stars, each 3.5 times larger and 2.5 times more massive than the Sun. The stars of the B component are also white stars, but somewhat smaller - twice as large, and 1.6 times as massive as the Sun.

Alcor is also not as simple as it seems. This is a binary system consisting of a hot white star twice as massive and larger than the Sun, and a red dwarf, four times lighter than the Sun and three times smaller.

In total, in the Mizar system we can see a curious set of five almost identical hot white stars and one red dwarf. Approximately the same interesting sixfold system is in - this is the star Castor.

Variable stars in Ursa Major

More than 2800 variable stars are known in this constellation, but most of them can only be seen with a powerful telescope. Three of them are rather curious - W, R and VY Ursa Major, and can be observed with binoculars or a telescope.

W Ursa Major

This is an eclipsing variable star, similar to the famous Algol, but here everything is much more extreme. Here, a pair of white stars, comparable in size and mass to the sun, are located so close to each other that they practically touch. Due to such a close location, under the influence of the gravity of the neighbor, each star took on an elongated egg-shaped shape, and when revolving around a common center of gravity, these stars are always turned to each other with one, convex side. In this place they even exchange matter with each other.

When rotating in orbit, one of the stars in this pair periodically covers (eclipses) the other, and the overall brightness of the system decreases. In addition, the stars are seen either with a wide, elongated side, or with a narrow one. Therefore, the brightness W of Ursa Major is constantly changing from 7.8 to 8.6m. The full period is only 8 hours - so quickly these stars make a revolution around each other. Therefore, the entire cycle can be observed in one night.

R Ursa Major

This is a variable star that belongs to the Mira class. Its brightness varies over a very wide range - at maximum brightness (6.7m) it can be seen with binoculars, and at minimum (13.4m) you will need a fairly powerful telescope. The period of brightness fluctuations is about 300 days.

VY Ursa Major

Compared to the previous one, this is pretty bright Star– its brightness varies within 5.9 – 6.5m. So it can be easily observed with 8-10x binoculars. This is a semi-correct variable - it has a period of 180 days, but incorrect fluctuations are superimposed on it.

We advise you to even just look at this star, even if you are not going to observe changes in its brightness. The fact is that this is one of the carbon stars, that is, it is a giant in whose atmosphere there is a lot of carbon. Because of this, the star has a rich red color, which sharply distinguishes it from the background of ordinary stars.

There are a lot of other interesting objects in the constellation Ursa Major, mostly galaxies. Some of them can be found even with binoculars, but they will be discussed in.

To study the starry sky more productively, we recommend using.

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 reference point 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.

Within the territory of of Eastern Europe and throughout 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 they are all 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

IN different times 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, behind winter months it, as you can see in the diagram below, moving to the northeast, again rises to the spring as high as possible above the horizon.

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

Exists ancient greek myth, by which you 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 once star cluster 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. polar Star- the first thing you can find, knowing the location of the large "bucket". A Polaris (alpha star Ursa Minor) is the main celestial landmark in the cardinal directions.

The most noticeable and well-known constellation to all, without exception, is, of course, Ursa Major. Rather, it is not she herself that is clearly visible in the night sky, but part of her - the Big Dipper. If you look closely, then below and to the right of it you can see a few more stars that make up the paws and head of the Bear. The shape of this constellation is really very interesting. After all, no one has ever seen bears with such long tails.

The most visible part of the constellation

The number of bright stars in the Big Dipper bucket is known to everyone. There are exactly seven of them. The name of these stars was given by Arab astronomers in the Middle Ages. To our ears, their “names” sound really strange:

• Merak.
• Mizar.
• Fegda.
• Megrets.
• Dubge.
• Aliot.
• Benetnash.

From the earth, these stars appear equidistant. In fact, this is far from the case. The number of bright stars in the Ursa Major bucket is seven, and all of them are not at equal distances from the Earth and the Sun.

Closest to our planet is Benetnash. Before - Aliot - sixty Nevertheless, she looks brighter than Benetnash. This is the brightest and most brilliant object of the Bucket. According to the apparent intensity of the emitted light, all the stars of this part of the Big Dipper are close to stars of the second magnitude.

If you look very closely at one of the stars of the Bucket - Mizar, you can notice a faint flicker right next to it. This is explained very simply. Mizar is not an ordinary star, but a double one.

The facility located right next to it is called Alcor. From Arabic, these two words are translated as "Horse" and "Rider". Alcor and Mizar are one of the most visible double stars from Earth.

The number of bright stars in the Big Dipper bucket is seven. However, if you look at it through binoculars or a telescope, you can see two more small strokes of light. Unlike stars, they look fuzzy and blurry. This is what distant galaxies look like from Earth. Located in the inside of the Ursa are called Whirlpool and Pinwheel.

Rotation of the Big Dipper

The fact that our Earth does not stand still is known to any schoolchild. Due to its movement, it seems that the stars in the sky rotate. The Bucket is no exception in this regard. In winter and autumn, Ursa Major is located in the northern part of the night sky, not too high from the horizon. In spring and summer, this most noticeable constellation can be seen almost at its zenith. And at this time of the year, Ursa Major looks upside down.

celestial compass

So, the number of bright stars in the Big Dipper bucket is exactly seven. Two of them can serve as a guide for those who are on the road. The fact is that it is easy to detect the most famous star in the world - the Polaris. It's easy to do. It is only necessary to draw an imaginary line along the two outer stars of the Ladle bowl. Next, it should measure approximately the distance between them. The North Star itself is located almost above the northernmost pole.

In ancient times, when there were no navigational instruments, it served as a guide for all sailors and travelers. So, if you suddenly find yourself in a difficult situation in an unfamiliar area - look at the constellation Ursa Major. The polar star found on it will show you the way to the north. This small and not too bright celestial object has more than once rescued those who got lost in the taiga, in the desert or in the sea. The North Star leads the nearest neighbor of the Big Dipper - the Little Dipper. The location of both of these "animals" is considered circumpolar according to the classification of astronomers.

How many stars are in the Big Dipper

Of course, there is much more to this than in its most noticeable part - the Bucket. On the this moment about 125 of them are known. These are over a hundred bright objects, against which the Sun would look like a small and dim luminous dot. The closest star to Earth, unfortunately, is not even visible to the naked eye. She also does not have a name. According to astronomical classification, it passes as a 7.5 m star. The light from it to the Earth takes about 8.25 years. This is almost twice as much as from the closest star to us - Alpha Centauri. Thus, the answer to the question of how many stars are in Ursa Major is simple - more than a hundred and not all of them are visible without a telescope or binoculars. To see a wild animal with a long tail in the Bucket, in fact, you need to have a fairly rich imagination.

Legend of the Big Dipper

Of course, about such noticeable objects of the night sky as the stars of the constellation Ursa Major, there simply cannot but exist many different kinds of myths and legends. The most famous legend about her was invented by the Greeks. Chroniclers of this ancient country they say that once the king of Arcadia had an unusually beautiful daughter, Callisto. And this girl was so proud of her attractiveness that she dared to compete with Hera herself, the wife of Zeus. The enraged goddess, using her mystical power, of course, took revenge on the proud woman, turning her into a bear. The son of Callisto Arcas, who was returning from hunting at that time, saw a wild beast at the door of the palace and decided to kill him. However, at the last moment he was stopped by Zeus, who was not indifferent to the beauty. After the rescue, Callisto was raised to heaven. The stars of the Ursa Major bucket are what it is. At the same time, the supreme god raised the beauty’s beloved dog to heaven. Now it is known under the name of Ursa Minor.

nearest constellations

The stars in the constellation Ursa Major, or rather in its Bucket, are the most visible in the night sky. However, in addition to Ursa Minor, there are several other well-known constellations in the area. The reference point for finding one of them can be the same Polar Star. Behind her, on the opposite side from the Big Dipper, at approximately the same distance, Cassiopeia, familiar to many by name, flaunts. Outwardly similar to the Russian letter "M". At some positions of the Earth, Cassiopeia "turns over" and takes the form of a Latin W.

Between it and Ursa Minor, one can see not so noticeable, but also notorious, it does not have a clearly visible form. Between Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, it is also easy to see a wriggling Dragon. The chain of its stars is easily connected on the map by a broken line.

Well, we hope we answered main question articles about how many luminous permanent objects there are in Ursa Major. There are only seven of them in the Bucket. The main constellation includes about 125 distant "suns".

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 those discovered in a telescope double stars(G. Riccioli in 1650), a 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?

Big Dipper- constellation of 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).

There are about 125 stars in the constellation, but only seven are called the largest and brightest: Dubhe, Merak, Fekda, Megrets, Aliot, Mizar and Alkaid. Between themselves, they form a bucket, which is visible to the naked eye.

The legend of the appearance of the constellation

In distant Greenland there is also a legend in which the constellation Ursa Major appears. The mythology and history of this cluster is quite popular. But one story has gained the greatest popularity among the Eskimos, about which absolutely everyone tells. It has even been suggested that this legend is not fiction, but the purest truth. In a snowy house, on the very edge of Greenland, lived great hunter Eriulok. He lived in a hut alone, as he was arrogant, considering himself the best in his field. Therefore, he did not want to communicate with his other compatriots. For many years in a row he went to sea and always returned with rich booty. In his house there was always a lot of food, seal fat, and the walls of his dwelling were decorated with the best skins of walruses, seals and seals.

Eriulok was rich, well-fed, but lonely. And loneliness over time began to burden the great hunter. He tried to make friends with his fellow Eskimos, but they did not want to deal with an arrogant relative. Apparently, he offended them greatly at the time. In desperation, Eriulok went to the Arctic Ocean and called the mistress of the sea depths, the goddess Arnarkuachssak. He told her about himself and his trouble. The goddess promised to help, but in return, Eriulok had to bring her a ladle with magical berries that would restore youth to the goddess. The hunter agreed and went to a distant island, found a cave guarded by a bear. After much torment, he put the forest animal to sleep and stole a ladle of berries. The goddess did not deceive the hunter and gave him a wife, and in return received magical berries.

After all the adventures, Eriulok got married and became the father of a large family, to the envy of all the neighbors in the area. As for the goddess, she ate all the berries, rejuvenated by a couple of hundred centuries, and joyfully threw an empty ladle into the sky, where he, clinging to something, remained hanging.

Stars and asterisms

Ursa Major is the third largest constellation (after Hydra and Virgo), whose seven bright stars form the famous Big Bucket; this asterism has been known since antiquity among many peoples under different names: the Rocker, the Plow, the Elk, the Wagon, the Seven Wise Men, etc. 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 (but, most likely, this name means "fat tail");
• Mizar(ζ) - "sash" or "loincloth".
• The last star in the bucket handle is called Benetnash or Alkaid(η); in Arabic, "al-Qaeed banat ours" means "the leader of the mourners." This poetic image is taken from the Arab folk interpretation of the constellation Ursa Major.

In the system of naming stars with Greek letters, the order of the letters simply corresponds to the order of the stars.

Another interpretation of asterism is reflected in the alternative name Hearse and Wailers. 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."

Bucket inner stars

5 inner stars of the Bucket (except for the extreme α and η) really belong to a single group in space - the moving cluster 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.

Stars Merak and Dubhe

They 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). Six stars of the Bucket have a shine of the 2nd magnitude, and only Megrets is of the 3rd magnitude.

Alcor

Near Mizar, which was the second among the double stars discovered in the telescope (Giovanni Riccioli in 1650; according to the data of the early 2000s, it was probably observed as a double as early as 1617 by Galileo). A 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 an asterism " horse and rider».

Three gazelle jumps

Peculiar asterism Three gazelle jumps of Arabic origin consists of three pairs of closely spaced stars, and the pairs are on the same straight line and separated by equal distances. Associated with hoofprints of a gazelle moving by jumps. Includes stars:

• Alula North and Alula South (v and ξ, first jump),
• Taniya North and Taniya South (λ and μ, second jump),
• Talita North and Talita South (ι and κ, third jump).

Arcturus

Aliot, Mizar and Benetnash form an extended arc that points to Arcturus, the brightest star north of the celestial equator, and also the brightest star visible in the spring in the mid-latitudes of Russia. As this arc extends further south, it points to Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo.

Lalande 21185

A red dwarf located in the Alula Severnaya region and inaccessible to observations naked eye, is one of the star systems closest to the Earth, closer to it are only Alpha Centauri, Barnard's star and Wolf 359. The Groombridge 1830 star is also accessible to observations through binoculars, which in its own motion is second only to Barnard's star and Kapteyn's star, in a hundred years it shifts approximately one third of the lunar disk.

Constellation legends. Star of Dubhe

About the cluster of luminaries Ursa Major and Ursa Minor walks great amount legends and tales. The following belief goes about the brightest star Dubhe from the constellation Ursa Major. The daughter of King Lycaon, the beautiful Callisto was one of the huntresses of the goddess Artemis. The almighty Zeus fell in love with Callisto, and she gave birth to the boy Arkas. For this, the jealous wife of Zeus, Hera, turned Callisto into a bear. When Arkas grew up and became a hunter, he attacked the trail of a bear and was already preparing to hit the beast with an arrow. Zeus, seeing what was happening, did not allow the murder. It was he who turned Arkas into a smaller bear. The ruler of heaven placed them in the sky so that mother and son would always remain together.

Ursa Major ranks third among the constellations in terms of area, but unusually few variable stars have been found there - for 2011 it is not included in the top ten constellations in this indicator.

• The Hubble Ultra Deep Field was imaged in a region one-twelfth the size of the lunar disk near the star Megrets. As of 2011, this is one of the most detailed images of the starry sky, allowing you to distinguish between many galaxies billions of light years away from Earth.
• Scars in the shape of the constellation Ursa Major on the chest are worn by the character of the popular in many countries anime and manga Hokuto No Ken, Kenshiro. At the moment, only the independent three-part novella "Fist of the North Star: New Era" is available in the official Russian translation.
• The world's first cryonics company is named after a star from the constellation Ursa Major.
• Soviet archaeologist and historian, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Rybakov B.A. in his well-known work he wrote: “The most important constellation of our northern hemisphere - Ursa Major - in the Russian North was called “Elk”, “Prongs” ... The Poles call the North Star the “Elk Star” (Gwiazda Łosiowa). Among the Evenks, the constellation Ursa Major (Ursus Major) is called "Moose Heglen".
• In the animated series "Gravity Falls" on the forehead of the main character Dipper Pines there is a birthmark in the form of this constellation. Because of him, he got the nickname Dipper ( dipper from English - ladle, and the constellation Ursa Major is sometimes called the Big Dipper).

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