The AsterNym star registry
Dubhe
Dubhe: the warm orange star of Ursa Major
warm orange · Ursa Major · α UMa
Dubhe is a warm orange giant, far along its stellar life 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. Dubhe 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
Dubhe at a glance
- Constellation
- Ursa Major
- Other name
- α UMa
- Catalogue number
- HIP 54061
- Distance
- ≈ 123 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 1.79 naked-eye
- Star type
- K0 III
- Colour
- warm orange
- Best seen from
- The far northern sky
- Right ascension
- 11h 03m 44s
- Declination
- +61° 45′ 04″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Dubhe dedication represent?
Dubhe 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 Dubhe?
It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 28°S.
Dubhe belongs to Ursa Major.
Dedicate Dubhe to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Dubhe dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Dubhe's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Dubhe keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Dubhe
- Is Dubhe the brightest star?
- Dubhe shines at magnitude 1.79 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Dubhe?
- Dubhe is approximately 123 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 123 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Dubhe?
- Dubhe is part of Ursa Major.
- Can everyone see Dubhe?
- It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 28°S.
- Is dedicating Dubhe an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Dubhe 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.