The AsterNym star registry
Zeta Ursae Minoris
Zeta Ursae Minoris: the white star of Ursa Minor
white · Ursa Minor · ζ UMi
Zeta Ursae Minoris is a white star, burning hotter than our own Sun in the constellation Ursa Minor, 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. Zeta Ursae Minoris 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
Zeta Ursae Minoris at a glance
- Constellation
- Ursa Minor
- Other name
- ζ UMi
- Catalogue number
- HIP 77055
- Distance
- ≈ 380 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 4.29 naked-eye
- Star type
- A3 V
- Colour
- white
- Best seen from
- The far northern sky
- Right ascension
- 15h 44m 03s
- Declination
- +77° 47′ 41″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Zeta Ursae Minoris dedication represent?
Zeta Ursae Minoris 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 Minor in the sky.”
Where can you see Zeta Ursae Minoris?
It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 12°S.
Zeta Ursae Minoris belongs to Ursa Minor.
Dedicate Zeta Ursae Minoris to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Zeta Ursae Minoris dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Zeta Ursae Minoris's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Zeta Ursae Minoris keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Zeta Ursae Minoris
- Is Zeta Ursae Minoris the brightest star?
- Zeta Ursae Minoris shines at magnitude 4.29 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Zeta Ursae Minoris?
- Zeta Ursae Minoris is approximately 380 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 380 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Zeta Ursae Minoris?
- Zeta Ursae Minoris is part of Ursa Minor.
- Can everyone see Zeta Ursae Minoris?
- It is a deep-northern star: easy from Europe, North America and northern Asia, but it never rises for observers south of about latitude 12°S.
- Is dedicating Zeta Ursae Minoris an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Zeta Ursae Minoris 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.