When is the best time to observe Tania Australis?

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

Where is Tania Australis located in the sky?

Tania Australis lies in the constellation Ursa Major at right ascension 10h 22m and declination +41° 30′.

What telescope do I need to follow Tania Australis?

To follow Tania Australis through its full brightness cycle (magnitude 3.0 to 3.3) you need the naked eye under a dark sky — the star fades out of smaller apertures near minimum light.

Tania Australis — Variable Star in Ursa Major

HIP 50801; Mu Ursae Majoris; 34 Ursae Majoris

Observable Variable Star Excellent (60/100)

Range: 3.03 - 3.10, Period: 230.1d, Type: EB:+LB

Magnitude 3.0–3.3^m VariableStar Ursa Major (UMa) Visible

Star Map + List + Plan

About Tania Australis

Description

Tania Australis (Mu Ursae Majoris) is a red giant of spectral type M0III at magnitude 3.05 in Ursa Major. Located about 230 light-years from Earth, it has a cool surface temperature of roughly 3,900 K and a distinctly orange-red color. It forms the southern member of the 'Tania' pair with Lambda UMa (Tania Borealis), representing one of the Bear's hind paws.

Observing Tips

Mu UMa lies below the Big Dipper's bowl, forming a close pair with Lambda UMa (Tania Borealis) about 2 degrees to its north. The two Tania stars make an attractive binocular pair with contrasting colors — Mu is orange-red while Lambda is white. They represent the Bear's southern hind foot. Best observed from February through July when Ursa Major is high overhead.

History

The name Tania Australis means 'the southern Tania' in Latin/Arabic hybrid form. 'Tania' derives from the Arabic 'al-thaniya,' meaning 'the second' (leap of the gazelle). The three pairs of stars in the Bear's feet (Talitha, Tania, and Alula) were seen in Arab astronomy as three successive leaps of a gazelle.

Fun Facts

The three pairs of stars forming the Great Bear's hind legs — Talitha (Iota/Kappa UMa), Tania (Lambda/Mu UMa), and Alula (Nu/Xi UMa) — were imagined in Arabic astronomy as the tracks of a bounding gazelle. Each pair represents one leap, creating a charming alternative interpretation of these stars.