Pherkad
Also known as γ UMi · HR 5735
Pherkad is a delta Sct variable star in the constellation Ursa Minor, about 770 light-years from Earth.
Facts
| Type | Delta Sct variable star (spectral type A2III) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Ursa Minor |
| Position (J2000) | 15h 20m 43s, +71° 50′ |
| Distance | 770 light-years (its light set off about 770 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 3 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Studied in | 157 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Pherkad is highest in the sky at midnight in May. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 38° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 68°. 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 Minor
Everything in Ursa Minor · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · Data sources & credits