Star lore
Megrez
Direct answer
Megrez is Delta Ursae Majoris, the faintest of the seven principal Big Dipper stars and the joint between bowl and handle.
Megrez is the understated hinge connecting the Dipper's bowl and handle.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Related
- Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, Alioth
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The story behind Megrez
Megrez’s Arabic-derived name refers to the root of the Great Bear's tail.
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The Road of the Sun
Where the twelve signs came from, and why they carry the names they do.
Why Megrez matters
Megrez’s structural location makes the famous asterism legible even though it contributes the least light of the seven.
How to read Megrez
Find the bowl first, then identify Megrez at the corner where the handle begins toward Alioth.
Megrez in practice: an example
Light pollution often erases Megrez before the other six Dipper stars, making it a rough sky-quality check.
Where readings of Megrez go wrong
Megrez’s disappearance indicates observing conditions, not an intrinsic sudden fading of the star.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- IAU Division C Working Group on Star Names - Official IAU working group responsible for standardizing star names used in international astronomy.
- CDS SIMBAD Astronomical Database - Professional astronomical database for stellar identifiers, positions, classifications, and bibliography.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
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Common questions
What is Megrez?
Megrez is Delta Ursae Majoris, the faintest of the seven principal Big Dipper stars and the joint between bowl and handle.
What do people get wrong about Megrez?
Megrez’s disappearance indicates observing conditions, not an intrinsic sudden fading of the star.
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