Beta Ursae Majoris
| Star | listing of all stars
|
Merak (β Ursae Majoris, HD 95418) is a star in the constellation of Ursa Major, forming a part of The Plough or Big Dipper. Together with Dubhe it is one of the two pointers, because a line extended from them leads to the Pole Star.
Merak is an A1-type main sequence star, with a surface temperature of about 9,000K. It is about 79 light years distant, and is about 60 times as luminous as the sun. Its apparent magnitude is about 2.35, and absolute magnitude of 0.42
Merak is part of a dispersing star cluster, moving through space with four of the other stars of the Plough. The star shows evidence for a cool disk of dust surrounding it, like that first discovered around Vega. This disk could indicate the existence of a planetary system around Merak.
|
