Dubhe
Also known as α UMa · HR 4301
Dubhe is a spectroscopic binary star in the constellation Ursa Major, about 120 light-years from Earth.
Facts
| Type | Spectroscopic binary star (spectral type G9III+A7.5) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Ursa Major |
| Position (J2000) | 11h 03m 43s, +61° 45′ |
| Distance | 120 light-years (its light set off about 120 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 1.79 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Studied in | 450 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Dubhe is highest in the sky at midnight in March. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 48° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 78°. To see it you need the naked eye, even from a town.
Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.
For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.
More in Ursa Major
- Bode's Galaxy (M81)
- Cigar Galaxy (M82)
- M109 (NGC 3992)
- Owl Nebula (M97)
- Pinwheel Galaxy (M101)
- Surfboard Galaxy (M108)
- Twin Quasar
- Winnecke 4 (M40)
Everything in Ursa Major · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · Data sources & credits