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Ursa Major constellation

Ursa Major is a constellation of the northern sky. Its brightest star is Alioth. Visibility at mid-northern latitudes (52° N): never sets — visible all year round.

  • Alwaysnever sets at 52° N
  • Aliothbrightest star, magnitude 1.8
  • UMaUrsa Major
Show on the sky map
The constellation Ursa Major in the starry sky: its figure and its bright stars Alioth, Ursa Major — magnitude 1.8. Open on the sky mapAliothDubhe, Ursa Major — magnitude 1.8. Open on the sky mapDubheAlkaid, Ursa Major — magnitude 1.9. Open on the sky mapAlkaidMizar, Ursa Major — magnitude 2.2. Open on the sky mapMizarMerak, Ursa Major — magnitude 2.3. Open on the sky mapMerakPhecda, Ursa Major — magnitude 2.4. Open on the sky mapCor Caroli, Canes Venatici — magnitude 2.9. Open on the sky mapψ Ursae Majoris — magnitude 3.0. Open on the sky mapTania Australis, Ursa Major — magnitude 3.1. Open on the sky mapTalitha, Ursa Major — magnitude 3.1. Open on the sky mapθ Ursae Majoris — magnitude 3.2. Open on the sky mapMegrez, Ursa Major — magnitude 3.3. Open on the sky mapMuscida, Ursa Major — magnitude 3.4. Open on the sky mapTania Borealis, Ursa Major — magnitude 3.5. Open on the sky mapAlula Borealis, Ursa Major — magnitude 3.5. Open on the sky mapAlkaphrah, Ursa Major — magnitude 3.6. Open on the sky maph Ursae Majoris — magnitude 3.6. Open on the sky mapTaiyangshou, Ursa Major — magnitude 3.7. Open on the sky mapυ Ursae Majoris — magnitude 3.8. Open on the sky mapAlula Australis, Ursa Major — magnitude 3.8. Open on the sky mapAlcor, Ursa Major — magnitude 4.0. Open on the sky mapAlhaud, Ursa Major — magnitude 4.5. Open on the sky map26 Ursae Majoris — magnitude 4.5. Open on the sky mapφ Ursae Majoris — magnitude 4.5. Open on the sky mapMuseida, Ursa Major — magnitude 4.6. Open on the sky map N ↑← E
North is up, east is left — this is how the constellation looks in the sky. Click a star to open it on the sky map.

How to find the constellation Ursa Major

The seven bright stars of the Big Dipper can be seen even from a city. A line through the two end stars of the bowl, Merak and Dubhe, leads to Polaris, about five times that distance away. From mid-northern latitudes the Dipper never sets and is visible on any clear night.

Visible all year round; it is highest in the evening, around 22:00, in April, and half a year later at that time it is lowest, above the northern horizon.

LocationVisibility
40° NMadrid, New York, Beijingrises and sets, fully visible
52° NLondon, Berlin, Warsawnever sets — visible all year round
60° NOslo, Helsinki, Saint Petersburgnever sets — visible all year round

Bright stars of the constellation

StarMagnitudeColorDistance
Aliothε Ursae Majoris 1.8bluish whiteabout 83 light years
Dubheα Ursae Majoris 1.8orangeabout 123 light years
Alkaidη Ursae Majoris 1.9bluish white—
Mizarζ Ursae Majoris 2.2bluish whiteabout 83 light years
Merakβ Ursae Majoris 2.3bluish whiteabout 79 light years
Phecdaγ Ursae Majoris 2.4bluish white—
ψ Ursae Majoris 3.0orange—
Tania Australisμ Ursae Majoris 3.1red—
Talithaι Ursae Majoris 3.1white—
θ Ursae Majoris 3.2white—
Megrezδ Ursae Majoris 3.3bluish white—
Muscidaο Ursae Majoris 3.4yellow—

Magnitude is a measure of a star’s brightness: the smaller the number, the brighter the star; on a dark night the naked eye can see stars down to magnitude 6.

Questions

How do you find the constellation Ursa Major in the sky?

The seven bright stars of the Big Dipper can be seen even from a city. A line through the two end stars of the bowl, Merak and Dubhe, leads to Polaris, about five times that distance away. From mid-northern latitudes the Dipper never sets and is visible on any clear night.

When is the best time of year to observe the constellation Ursa Major?

At mid-northern latitudes (52° N) Ursa Major never sets and can be seen on any clear night. It is highest in the evening in spring, in April.

What is the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Major?

Alioth: magnitude 1.8, bluish white. Distance: about 83 light years.

How many stars are there in the constellation Ursa Major?

With the naked eye on a perfectly dark night — with no light pollution and no Moon — you can see about 122 stars in the constellation (brighter than magnitude 6, within the constellation’s boundaries). In a city far fewer: usually only the stars of its figure.

Spring constellations

Find it in the sky tonightA sky map over your city: where the constellation Ursa Major is now and when it will rise.
Open the sky map