Star profile

Tau Ursae Majoris

3D likeness based on its real data · class A · ~8,500 K

What is Tau Ursae Majoris

τ Ursae Majoris is a white star in the forepaw of the Great Bear, far from the famous Plough but within the ancient full figure of the animal. Its A type reveals a hot, crisp star, one of the many jewels that Greek myth hid in the silhouette of the mortal bear Callisto, transformed by Zeus to bring her to safety in the firmament.

Where it is and when to see it

Tau Ursae Majoris lies in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is January, when it culminates around midnight.

From London it never sets and culminates about 78° up.
From New York it never sets and culminates about 67° up.
From Sydney it never rises above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 26° S.

It ranks no. 29 in brightness among the 124 stars of Ursa Major in our catalogue. To find it, start from Alioth, the brightest: it lies about 28° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 130 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Tau Ursae Majoris

Constellation: Ursa Major
Apparent magnitude: 4.67
Distance: 126.3 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 137.729° · Dec 63.514°
Catalogue: HIP 45075 · HD 78362

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Other stars in Ursa Major

Ursa Major has 124 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 124 stars in Ursa Major