The AsterNym star registry
Alcor
Alcor: the white star of Ursa Major
white · Ursa Major · 80 UMa
Alcor is a white star, burning hotter than our own Sun in the constellation Ursa Major, one of the few thousand stars bright enough to carry an officially recognised name. On a dark, clear night you can find it with your own eyes.
Most stars in the sky are anonymous points of light. Alcor is not — it has held a name across generations of sky-watchers, which makes it a rare thing to attach a name of your own to.
Real star · Personal dedication · Recorded in the AsterNym registry
See what a dedicated page looks like — preview
Alcor at a glance
- Constellation
- Ursa Major
- Other name
- 80 UMa
- Catalogue number
- HIP 65477
- Distance
- ≈ 82 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 3.99 naked-eye
- Star type
- A5V SB
- Colour
- white
- Best seen from
- The Northern Hemisphere and lower southern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 13h 25m 14s
- Declination
- +54° 59′ 17″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Alcor dedication represent?
Alcor is especially meaningful for someone who:
- · Deserves something older than any gift shop
- · Marks a beginning, an anniversary or a promise
- · Is remembered every time you look up
- · Has a light you want recorded somewhere permanent
Dedication idea
“For the one I think of when I find Ursa Major in the sky.”
Where can you see Alcor?
It is easy to see from most of the Northern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower southern latitudes, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 35°S.
Alcor belongs to Ursa Major.
Dedicate Alcor to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Alcor dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Alcor's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Alcor keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Alcor
- Is Alcor the brightest star?
- Alcor shines at magnitude 3.99 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Alcor?
- Alcor is approximately 82 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 82 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Alcor?
- Alcor is part of Ursa Major.
- Can everyone see Alcor?
- It is easy to see from most of the Northern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower southern latitudes, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 35°S.
- Is dedicating Alcor an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Alcor keeps its internationally recognised astronomical name. An AsterNym dedication records your personal name and message in the AsterNym registry without changing the star's scientific identity.