When is the best time to observe Merak?

Merak is best observed from February through April, with peak visibility during March when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is Merak located in the sky?

Merak lies in the constellation Osa Mayor at right ascension 11h 02m and declination +56° 23′.

What telescope do I need to see Merak?

At magnitude 2.4, Merak is visible to the naked eye under most conditions.

Merak — Estrella en Osa Mayor

Beta UMa

Magnitud 2.4^m Star Osa Mayor (UMa) Visible

Mapa Estelar + Lista + Plan

Acerca de Merak

Descripción

Merak is a white estrella de secuencia principal of tipo espectral A1V at magnitude 2.37, located a unos 79 años luz de la Tierra. Together with Dubhe (Alpha UMa), Merak forms the famous 'Pointer Stars' of the Carro Mayor that point toward Polaris. Merak has a luminosity of about 63 veces la solar and a temperatura superficial of around 9,400 K. An infrared excess detected around Merak suggests it may have a disco de escombros.

Consejos de Observación

Merak is the lower-right star of the Carro Mayor's bowl (when the Dipper is upright). The line from Merak through Dubhe, extended about five times their separation, points directly to Polaris — this is the most famous direction-finding trick in amateur astronomy. Merak is visible year-round from mid-latitudes boreales. Best evening viewing is from March through August.

Historia

The name Merak comes from the Arabic 'al-maraqq,' meaning 'the loin' or 'the flank' of the Great Bear. Merak is one of the five stars of the Carro Mayor that belong to the Ursa Major Moving Group — a group of stars with common motion through space, suggesting they formed together about 300 million years ago.

Datos Curiosos

Merak's disco de escombros, detected by IRAS and confirmed by Spitzer, makes it similar to Vega and Fomalhaut — all are A-type stars with surrounding dust that may indicate planetary system formation. The Pointer Stars trick using Merak and Dubhe has been used for navigation for millennia and remains the first skill taught to beginning stargazers.