Ursa Major

Overview

Ursa Major (Ursae Majoris) — The Great Bear is one of the 88 modern constellations recognised by the International Astronomical Union.

Highlights

• ★The Big Dipper / Plough asterism
• ★The Pinwheel Galaxy (M101) and Bode's Galaxy (M81)

Notable stars

68 catalogued stars in this encyclopedia.

• Phecdamag 2.41
• Psi Ursae Majorismag 3
• Tania Australismag 3.06
• Talithamag 3.12
• Theta Ursae Majorismag 3.17
• Megrezmag 3.32
• Muscidamag 3.35
• Tania Borealismag 3.45
• Alula Borealismag 3.49
• Alkaphrahmag 3.57
• 23 Ursae Majorismag 3.65
• Taiyangshoumag 3.69

Deep-sky objects

• Bode's Galaxy
• M 101
• Cigar Galaxy
• NGC 3184
• NGC 2768
• M 109
• NGC 3077
• Owl Nebula
• M 108
• Coddington's Nebula
• Helix Galaxy
• Miniature Spiral
• Medusa Galaxy Merger
• the Guitar

Neighbouring constellations

Knowledge connections

• IncludesDubhe
• IncludesMerak
• IncludesAlkaid
• IncludesMizar
• IncludesAlioth
• Constellation ofPhecda
• Constellation ofPsi Ursae Majoris
• Constellation ofTania Australis
• Constellation ofTalitha
• Constellation ofTheta Ursae Majoris
• Constellation ofMegrez
• Constellation ofMuscida
• Constellation ofTania Borealis
• Constellation ofAlula Borealis
• Constellation ofAlkaphrah
• Constellation of23 Ursae Majoris
• Constellation ofTaiyangshou
• Constellation ofUpsilon Ursae Majoris
• Constellation ofZeta Ursae Majoris
• Constellation ofAlcor
• Constellation ofAlula Australis
• Constellation of15 Ursae Majoris
• Constellation of26 Ursae Majoris
• Constellation of24 Ursae Majoris

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

• IAUInternational Astronomical Union

  Official naming, definitions, constellation boundaries, and astronomical nomenclature.