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Stars and Sticks| Abbreviation | UMi |
|---|---|
| Meaning | Little Bear |
| Pronunciation Guide is based on “Pronouncing Astronomical Names,” published in 1943 by the American Astronomical Society. | ER-suh MY-ner |
| Genitive The genitive is the Latin possessive form used in star names. For example, Alpha Orionis means “the Alpha of Orion.” | UR-see mih-NOR-is |
| Best Month | June |
| Visibility | Northern |
| Origin | AncientThese figures are rooted in the classical Greek and Mesopotamian traditions cataloged by Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD. |
| Author | PtolemyPtolemy, a 2nd-century Greco-Egyptian astronomer, cataloged the 48 classical constellations in his landmark work, the Almagest. These form the core of the 88 modern constellations recognized today. |
| Type | constellation |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Description | The Little Bear winds around the north celestial pole like a smaller version of its great companion Ursa Major, though far fainter and less easily traced. In myth it is Arcas — the son of Zeus and the nymph Callisto — who was about to unknowingly kill his bear-mother when Zeus transformed him into a bear and placed them both among the stars. The tail of the Little Bear ends at Polaris — the North Star — the single most important navigational star in the northern hemisphere, lying within one degree of the celestial north pole. Polaris is itself a triple star system about 433 light-years away and a Cepheid variable; it will be closest to the true pole around the year 2100. |
| Asterism | Little Dipper: A smaller version of the Big Dipper; the end of the handle is Polaris. |
| Meteor Shower | Ursids |
| Peak Month | December |
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Monthly sky charts courtesy of What's Out Tonight? — Copyright ©2026 Ken Graun. Star charts are optimized for mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Click a chart to view or download the PDF. For guidance on using the chart, or to purchase a planisphere and astronomy books, visit kenpress.com.
Images: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/E. Slawik · IAU and Sky & Telescope · Stellarium — Full credits →
