06/07/2021 – Ephemeris – The Little Dipper, aka Ursa Minor

 This is Ephemeris for Monday, June 7th.  Today the Sun will be up for 15 hours and 28 minutes, setting at 9:26, and it will rise tomorrow at 5:57.  The Moon, 3 days before new, will rise at 4:54 tomorrow morning.

One of the constellations I don’t talk about much, except in passing is Ursa Minor, the Little Bear, better known as the Little Dipper. As a dipper goes, its handle is bent the wrong way. Anyway, this time of year in the evening, it’s standing on the tip of it’s handle the North Star Polaris. Polaris is pointed to by the front two stars of the Big Dipper. As dippers go they pour their contents into each other. The second and third-brightest stars of the Little Dipper are at the front of the bowl, and are Kochab and Pherkad, the Guard Stars, that is Guardians of the Pole. To the Anishinaabe native peoples of our area the Little Dipper is Maang, the Loon.

The astronomical event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Little Dipper finder animation with bonus frame with Draco the dragon. Click on the image to enlarge. Created using Stellarium. Animation and star names added with GIMP.