Mizar
Also known as ζ UMa · HR 5054
Mizar is a spectroscopic binary star in the constellation Ursa Major, about 83 light-years from Earth.
Facts
| Type | Spectroscopic binary star (spectral type A1.5Vas) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Ursa Major |
| Position (J2000) | 13h 23m 55s, +54° 55′ |
| Distance | 83 light-years (its light set off about 83 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 2.22 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Studied in | 324 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Mizar is highest in the sky at midnight in April. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 55° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 85°. 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