SkyTracko
northern skyBest Apr

Ursa Major

The Great Beargen. Ursae Majoris

Brightest
Dubhe
Alpha Ursae Majoris
Stars
150
in catalog
Best viewed
April
from mid-latitudes
Sky center
165.0°, +56.0°
RA / Dec
Live 3D view
150 stars
pinch · drag
α · Brightest
Dubhe

Mythology

The Great Bear contains the Big Dipper asterism. In Greek myth, Callisto was transformed into a bear by Hera and placed in the sky by Zeus. Nearly every culture has bear or wagon stories for these seven stars — from the Roman 'Septentriones' to the Arabic 'Na'ash' (bier).

Brightest stars

top 8 of 150
  • Alioth
    77Eps UMa
    1.76
    mag
  • Dubhe
    50Alp UMa
    1.81
    mag
  • Alkaid
    85Eta UMa
    1.85
    mag
  • Mizar
    79Zet UMa
    2.23
    mag
  • Merak
    48Bet UMa
    2.34
    mag
  • Phecda
    64Gam UMa
    2.41
    mag
  • 52Psi UMa
    3.00
    mag
  • Tania Australis
    34Mu UMa
    3.06
    mag

Lower magnitude = brighter. B−V color index maps to star color (bluer cooler, redder warmer).