Quick Facts
Latin:
ā€œLesser Bearā€
Also called:
the Little Bear
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Ursa Minor

constellation
Also known as: Lesser Bear, The Little Bear

Ursa Minor, in astronomy, a constellation of the northern sky, at about 15 hours right ascension and 80° north declination, and seven of whose stars outline the Little Dipper. Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris), at the end of the Little Dipper’s handle, marks (roughly) the position of the north celestial pole and is the brightest star in Ursa Minor, with a magnitude of 2.0.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Rick Livingston.
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