Alioth vs Dubhe

Property Alioth Dubhe
Designation 77Eps UMa 50Alp UMa
Constellation Ursa Major Ursa Major
Spectral Class Class A — A-type (White) Class F — F-type (Yellow-White)
Apparent Magnitude +1.76 +1.81
Absolute Magnitude -0.26 -1.07
Distance 82.5 ly 123 ly
Mass N/A N/A
Radius N/A N/A
Temperature N/A N/A
Luminosity N/A N/A

Key Differences

  • Both are the two brightest stars of the Big Dipper in Ursa Major, but they differ in type and motion.
  • Alioth (Epsilon UMa) is an A-type chemically peculiar variable; Dubhe (Alpha UMa) is a K-type giant.
  • Alioth is a member of the Ursa Major Moving Group; Dubhe is not and moves in the opposite direction.
  • Dubhe forms the 'pointer pair' with Merak that indicates Polaris.
  • Alioth is slightly brighter than Dubhe despite the Alpha/Epsilon designations.

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