Phi Ursae Majoris, Latinized from φ Ursae Majoris, is

binary star A binary star is a system of two stars that are gravitationally bound to and in orbit around each other. Binary stars in the night sky that are seen as a single object to the naked eye are often resolved using a telescope as separate stars, in wh ...

system in the

northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ra ...

constellation A constellation is an area on the celestial sphere in which a group of visible stars forms Asterism (astronomy), a perceived pattern or outline, typically representing an animal, mythological subject, or inanimate object. The origins of the e ...

of Ursa Major. It is white-hued and is visible to the naked eye with a combined apparent visual magnitude of +4.60; the primary is magnitude 5.28 while the secondary is magnitude 5.39. The system is located at a distance of approximately from the Sun based on

parallax Parallax is a displacement or difference in the apparent position of an object viewed along two different lines of sight and is measured by the angle or semi-angle of inclination between those two lines. Due to foreshortening, nearby objects ...

, but is drifting closer with a

radial velocity The radial velocity or line-of-sight velocity, also known as radial speed or range rate, of a target with respect to an observer is the temporal rate of change, rate of change of the distance or Slant range, range between the two points. It is e ...

of −14.7 km/s. It should make its closest approach at a distance of around in about 4.7 million years. As of 2017, the components had an

angular separation Angular distance \theta (also known as angular separation, apparent distance, or apparent separation) is the angle between the two sightlines, or between two point objects as viewed from an observer. Angular distance appears in mathematics (in pa ...

of along a position angle of 304°. They are orbiting each other with a period of 105.4 years and eccentricity of 0.44. Both of components are A-type subgiant stars with a

stellar classification In astronomy, stellar classification is the classification of stars based on their stellar spectrum, spectral characteristics. Electromagnetic radiation from the star is analyzed by splitting it with a Prism (optics), prism or diffraction grati ...

of A3 IV. Phi Ursae Majoris is moving through the galaxy at a speed of 21.6 km/s relative to the Sun. Its projected galactic orbit carries it between 24,000 and 46,000 light-years from the center of the galaxy.

Naming

With τ, h, υ, θ, e, and f, it composed the Arabic asterism ''Sarīr Banāt al-Na'sh'', the Throne of the daughters of ''Na'sh'', and ''Al-Haud'', the Pond. According to the catalogue of stars in the ''Technical Memorandum 33-507 - A Reduced Star Catalog Containing 537 Named Stars'', ''Al-Haud'' were the title for seven stars: f as ''Alhaud I'', τ as ''Alhaud II'', e as ''Alhaud III'', h as ''Alhaud IV'', θ as ''Alhaud V'', υ as ''Alhaud VI'' and this star (φ) as ''Alhaud VII''. In Chinese, (), meaning '' Administrative Center'', refers to an asterism consisting of φ Ursae Majoris,

υ Ursae Majoris Upsilon Ursae Majoris, Latinized from υ Ursae Majoris, is a binary star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Major. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of +3.79. Based upon an annual paral ...

, θ Ursae Majoris,

15 Ursae Majoris 15 Ursae Majoris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation Ursa Major, located 94 light-years away from the Sun. It has the Bayer designation f Ursae Majoris; ''15 Ursae Majoris'' is the Flamsteed designation. It is vis ...

and

18 Ursae Majoris 18 Ursae Majoris, or e Ursae Majoris, is a single star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Major. It is faintly visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.832. The annual parallax shift measured from E ...

. Consequently, the Chinese name for φ Ursae Majoris itself is known as (, en, the Third Star of Administrative Center).

References

{{Stars of Ursa Major A-type subgiants Binary stars Ursa Major Ursae Majoris, Phi Ursae Majoris, 30 Durchmusterung objects 085235 048402 3894 Alhaud VII