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Ursa Major

Quick Facts

Name:Ursa Major
URR-sah MAY-jer
Meaning:Great Bear
Abbreviation:UMa
Genitive:Ursae Majoris
Visible in Latitudes:90° thru -30°
Viewing Season:All year (circumpolar)
Best Seen In:April, 9:00 pm
Transit Date:March 8
Right Ascension:10.67 hours
Declination:55.4 degrees
Area:1279.660 sq. degrees

Star Diagram

Star Diagram: Ursa Major

About Ursa Major

Ursa Major, the Great Bear, is visible in the Northern Hemisphere all year long. It contains the Big Dipper and is the best known of all the constellations, appearing in every reference known.

Callisto was changed to a bear, because of Zeus's jealousy, and transferred to the sky. This is improbable, as the constellation was already well established before this time. The drawings all show a bear with a long tail, which is again not likely correct since bears have no tails.

Named Stars

 
NameStar
DubheAlpha UMa
MerakBeta UMa
PhadGamma UMa
MegrezDelta UMa
AliothEpsilon UMa
MizarZeta UMa
AlkaidEta UMa
TalithaIota UMa
Tania BorealisLambda UMa
Tania AustralisMu UMa
Alula BorealisNu UMa
Alula AustralisXi UMa
MuscidaOmicron UMa
MuscidaPi 1 UMa
MuscidaPi 2 UMa
Alcor80 UMa

Messier Objects

 
NameType
M40Double Star
M81Spiral Galaxy
M82Irregular Galaxy
M97Planetary Nebula
M101Spiral Galaxy
M108Spiral Galaxy
M109Spiral Galaxy

Neighboring Constellations

©2020 Bot Productions. All rights reserved.Last Updated: December 8, 2000