One of the most important constellations for astronomers is the Little Bear. It is located in the northern hemisphere and can be seen from Europe throughout the year. This constellation has numerous stars, its main one being Polaris. It is one of the most important for astronomers since many other celestial bodies use this star as an axis for rotation. Furthermore, in the legend of the Indian Vedas, Polaris plays a very important role as the leader of the group of gods. If you are interested in learning more about famous constellations, you can consult our article on famous constellations.
In this article we are going to tell you all the characteristics, operation and meaning of the Ursa Minor star constellation.
Key features
The shape of the Ursa Minor is similar to that of the Great Bear, but in contrast, its axis is not straight, but twisted backwards. The main star of this constellation, Polaris, maintains a fixed position in the night sky. The height of the northern star's position corresponds to the observer's latitude. The constellation is composed of seven chariot-shaped stars, four of which form the deep end of the chariot and the other three are the chariot's handles. For those interested in the importance of meteorology, it is also essential to observe how the skies vary in different regions.
The most famous element of Ursa Minor is the North Star, which is located on the extension of the Earth's axis, so it remains fixed in the sky and points to the geographic north pole. Navigators use it as the North Star. Reference point during the trip. Except for the North Star, Ursa Minor lacks elements of interest to amateur astronomy. Given its location, Ursa Minor can only be seen in the northern hemisphere, but in return, in that hemisphere it is seen all year round. Together with its companion the Big Dipper, it is one of the most characteristic elements of the northern hemisphere sky.
Ursa Minor mythology
In Greek mythology, there are many theories about the origin of Ursa Minor. One of hers is Fénice, who was converted into bear by Artemis after being attracted to Zeus. This story is very similar to that of Callisto. It was incorporated into the Big Dipper, so some authors believe there must have been a disaster in the first story with two identical characters (Zeus would have turned Callisto into the Big Dipper, and later Artemis would have turned her into the Little Dipper). If you want to delve deeper into the mythology behind the constellations, we invite you to browse our article on circumpolar constellations.
Callisto is a very beautiful fairy who fell in love with Zeus. Together they have their son Arcas. Zeus's wife, Hera, turned Callisto into a bear out of jealousy. Many years later, Callisto met her son, who did not recognize her in animal form and wanted to kill her. To save her Zeus turned his son into a bear and placed them all in the sky, resulting in Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.
Main stars of Ursa Minor
Let's summarize which are the main stars of Ursa Minor:
- Î ± Ursae Minoris (Polaris, Polar Star or North Star), the brightest star in the constellation, a yellow supergiant and Cepheid variable of magnitude 1,97.
- β Ursae Minoris (Kochab), of magnitude 2,07, an orange giant star that was formerly used as a pole star.
- γ Ursae Minoris (Pherkad), of magnitude 3,00, white and variable star of the Delta Scuti type.
- δ Ursae Minoris (Yildun or Pherkard), white star of magnitude 4,35.
- ε Ursae Minoris, eclipsing binary and variable RS Canum Venaticorum of magnitude 4,21.
- Î Ursae Minoris (Anwar al Farkadain), white-yellow dwarf of magnitude 4,95.
- Calvera, an informal name for what is thought to be the closest neutron star to Earth.
Importance of the Pole Star
As we mentioned earlier, Polaris is located in the constellation Ursa Minor. This is a constellation that can be clearly seen in our sky throughout the year. We can only see those who live in the northern hemisphere. The constellation is made up of 7 stars, including the Pole Star. It can be easily identified as a yellow giant star, characterized by being very bright and larger than the sun. Although this may not seem correct, it is a star larger than the sun. However, it is farther away than it appears, so we cannot see it at the same size or allow it to illuminate us the way the sun does. If you want to learn more about how stars form, you can check out our article on the North Star.
Before the invention of radar and GPS and geographic positioning systems, the Pole Star was used as a navigation guide. This may be because it helps to orient yourself at the geographic celestial pole.
How to Identify Pole Star
It is a star that is fixed and although the rest of the stars seem to move in the sky, they are not. It is easy to identify because it is completely static. It is close to the Big Dipper. The two constellations are similar because they are made up of 7 stars and are shaped like a car.
It is different from other stars because it is a star that remains stationary in the sky. You can see the rest of the stars spinning around the Earth's axis of rotation. The journey of the stars lasts 24 hours, like the planets and the sun, so if we want to know the position of the pole star at a certain time, we must observe the Big Dipper. This is done because it is a relatively easy constellation to see and, close to it, is the Pole Star.
If we want to see it, we just have to draw an imaginary line that takes as a reference point two of the stars in the constellation Ursa Major called Merak and Dhube. These two stars are quite easy to identify in the sky. Once they are spotted, we have to draw another imaginary line at a distance of 5 times that between these two to find the Pole Star.
Throughout history, this star has been used as a reference point for thousands of navigators on voyages across the sea. It should be noted that only those sailing in the Northern Hemisphere could see it. Thanks to this star, which has served as a guide, so many people could easily reach their destinations in cities.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the constellation Ursa Minor.