Collier's New Encyclopedia

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Ursa Minor

in astronomy, the Little Bear; one of the 20 ancient northern constellations, bounded by Draco, Its contour is marked out by seven stars.

Its contour is marked out by seven stars.

The curvature of the tail is in the contrary direction to that of the Great Bear; and at its tip is a star of the second magnitude, Alpha Ursæ Minoris, called Polaris, or the Pole Star, midway between Cassiopeia and the Great Bear. Next in brightness are Beta Ursæ Minoris, called by the Arabs Kobab, and Gamma Ursæ Minoris. The two are sometimes designated the Guards of the Pole, or simply the Guards. Kobab is of the second, and the other of the third.

The remaining stars are smaller.

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