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Ursa Major & Minor: Stars & Coordinates

The document describes two constellations: Ursa Major, known as the Great Bear, which includes the Big Dipper asterism; and Ursa Minor, known as the Little Bear, which includes Polaris, the North Star. Tables with precise coordinates including right ascension and declination are provided for the main stars in each constellation.

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Dwayne Angeloa Anas
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229 views3 pages

Ursa Major & Minor: Stars & Coordinates

The document describes two constellations: Ursa Major, known as the Great Bear, which includes the Big Dipper asterism; and Ursa Minor, known as the Little Bear, which includes Polaris, the North Star. Tables with precise coordinates including right ascension and declination are provided for the main stars in each constellation.

Uploaded by

Dwayne Angeloa Anas
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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, Ursa Major

Description
Ursa Major which translates to “Greater Bear”, is a
constellation found within earth’s northern hemisphere. It
was one of Ptolemy’s 48 constellations listed during the 2nd
century. This constellation is known for it’s asterism called
“Big Dipper”, which features the constellation’s main
seven stars and depicts a wagon.
Coordinates
Ursa Major can be found at latitudes between +90 degrees
to -30 degrees and a magnitude of 1.85. However, the
positioning and coordinates of the the constellation’s stars
are much more precise. The table below shows the right
ascension and declination of the constellation’s seven
main stars.
Star Right Ascension Declination
h m s
Alioth 12 54 01.63 +55° 57′ 35.4″
h m s
Alkaid 13 47 32.55 +49° 18′ 47.9″
h m s
Dubhe 11 03 43.84 +61° 45′ 04.0″
h m s
Mizar A 13 23 55.54 +54° 55′ 31.3″
h m s
Merak 11 01 50.39 +56° 22′ 56.4″
h m s
Megrez 12 15 25.56063 +57° 01′ 57.4156″
Phecda 11h 53m 49.74s +53° 41′ 41.0″
Ursa Minor

Description
Ursa Minor, which translates to “Lesser Bear,” is a
constellation located in the northern hemisphere. It is
notable for containing Polaris, the North Star, which has
historically been a vital navigation aid. Ursa Minor is one
of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century
astronomer Ptolemy. The constellation is known for its
distinctive asterism, the "Little Dipper," which includes
the constellation’s main seven stars and resembles a
smaller ladle or dipper.

Coordinates
Ursa Minor is visible at latitudes between +90 degrees and
-10 degrees with a magnitude of 11.9. The constellation's
stars have precise positions in the sky, defined by their
right ascension and declination. The table below lists the
right ascension and declination of the seven main stars of
Ursa Minor.
Star Right Ascension Declination
Polaris 02h 31m 49.09s +89° 15′ 50.8″
Kochab 14h 50m 42.32s +74° 09′ 19.0″
Pherkad 15h 20m 43.70s +71° 50′ 02.6″
Yildun 17h 32m 12.96s +86° 35′ 10.9″
Epsilon UMi 16h 17m 30.71s +82° 02′ 14.9″
Zeta UMi 15h 44m 03.50s +77° 47′ 39.2″
Eta UMi 16h 17m 30.15s +75° 45′ 18.0″

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