Nu Ursae Majoris

ν Ursae Majoris
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Ursa Major
Right ascension 11h 18m 28.7s
Declination +33° 05' 39"
Apparent magnitude (V) +3.49
Distance 421 ± 43 ly
(129 ± 13 pc)
Spectral type K3-IIIBa0.3
Other designations
Alula Borealis, 54 Ursae Majoris, HR 4377, HD 98262, BD+33 2098, FK5 425, HIP 55219, SAO 62486, GC 15547, ADS 8123, CCDM 11185+3306

Nu Ursae Majoris (ν UMa, ν Ursae Majoris) is a binary star in the constellation Ursa Major. It is approximately 400 light years from the Earth.

The primary component, Nu Ursae Majoris A, is an orange K-type giant with an apparent magnitude of 3.5m. It has a 10th magnitude companion, Nu Ursae Majoris B 7.1 arcseconds away.

It has the proper name Alula Borealis[1] (and erroneously Alula Boreale[2]) meaning "the Northern (star) of Alula." The words Alula and el-Awla[3] (with ξ) come from the Arabic phrase (al-Qafzah) al-Ūlā meaning "the first (leap)" (plus "Borealis", "northern" in Latin). It and Xi Ursae Majoris are Hea Tae （下台）, the Lower Dignitary, in Chinese astronomy.[4]

Notes

  1. ^ Piazzi, G., The Palermo Catalogue, Palermo, 1814.
  2. ^ Bečvář, A., Atlas Coeli (Atlas of the Heavens) II - Catalogue, Plague, 1964.
  3. ^ Bode J., Uranographia, Berlin, 1801.
  4. ^ Allen, Richard Hinckley (1899). Star-Names and Their Meanings. New York: G. E. Stechert. , p.443.
Stars of Ursa Major
Bayer
Flamsteed
Nearby
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