When is the best time to observe Muscida?

Muscida is best observed from December through February, with peak visibility during January when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is Muscida located in the sky?

Muscida lies in the constellation Ursa Major at right ascension 08h 30m and declination +60° 43′.

What telescope do I need to see Muscida?

At magnitude 3.4, Muscida is visible to the naked eye from dark skies, easy in any binoculars.

Muscida — Star in Ursa Major

1 UMa

Magnitude 3.3–3.8^m Star Ursa Major (UMa) Visible 1 Exoplanet

Star Map + List + Plan

About Muscida

Description

Muscida, 1 Ursae Majoris (also known as Omicron UMa), is a yellow giant of spectral type G5 III about 179 light-years away. It marks the nose of the Great Bear, at the western end of the constellation. The star hosts a confirmed exoplanet, Muscida b, a gas giant of about 4.1 Jupiter masses in a 1630-day orbit. Muscida's magnitude of 3.36 makes it an easy naked-eye object even from suburban skies.

Observing Tips

Muscida is easy to find: follow the "top" of the Bear's head westward from the Big Dipper's bowl, and Muscida is the first naked-eye star you reach. It appears distinctly yellow in binoculars. Circumpolar from mid-northern latitudes. Best observed in late winter and spring when Ursa Major rides high.

History

The name Muscida comes from the Latin word for "muzzle" or "snout," perfectly describing the star's position on the bear's nose. The exoplanet Muscida b was discovered in 2012 via radial velocity measurements and is one of the closer super-Jupiters to us in the planetary catalog.

Fun Facts

Muscida and its nearby fainter neighbors form a loose grouping that helps new skywatchers understand the full outline of the Great Bear — most of whose body extends well beyond the familiar seven Dipper stars. The planet Muscida b, at roughly 3.9 AU from the star, receives about half the flux that Earth gets from the Sun — despite orbiting a much more luminous giant.