Merak - β Ursae Majoris (beta Ursae Majoris)
Merak, also designated as β Ursae Majoris (beta Ursae Majoris), is a variable main-sequence star in the constellation of Ursa Major.
Merak visual magnitude is 2.37, making it the 80th brightest star in the sky. Thanks to its high brightness, Merak is clearly visible when observed from locations with dark skies, and should be also quite easily visible from light polluted areas.
The proper motion of Merak is 0.082 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and 0.034 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.
Key facts about Merak
Merak - β Ursae Majoris (beta Ursae Majoris) is above the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom.
Altitude: 45.3°
Azimuth: 309.1°
Direction: North-West
Celestial coordinates and finder chart of Merak
Merak is situated north of the celestial equator, as such, it is more easily visible from the northern hemisphere. Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox as well as galactic coordinates of Merak are provided in the following table:
The simplified sky map below shows the position of Merak in the sky:
Visibility of Merak from your location
Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
Merak - β Ursae Majoris (beta Ursae Majoris) is circumpolar and transits at 19:53 UTC (altitude: 85.1°)
Distance of Merak from the Sun and relative movement
Merak is distant 79.38 light years from the Sun and it is moving towards the Sun at the speed of 12 kilometers per second.
Spectral properties of Merak
Merak belongs to spectral class A1 and has a luminosity class of V corresponding to a main-sequence star.
The red dot in the diagram below shows where Merak is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.
