Kappa Ursae Majoris

Kappa Ursae Majoris

Location of κ Ursae Majoris (circled)
Observation data Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation	Ursa Major
Right ascension	09h 03m 37.52762s
Declination	+47° 09′ 23.4890″
Apparent magnitude (V)	+3.60
Characteristics
Spectral type	A0IV-V + A0V
Astrometry
Distance	358 ± 20 ly (109 ± 6 pc)
Other designations
Talitha, Talitha Australis, Alphikra Australis, κ Ursae Majoris, κ UMa, Kappa UMa, 12 Ursae Majoris, BD+47 1633, CCDM J09036+4709AB, FK5 341, GC 12503, HD 77327, HIP 44471, HR 3594, IDS 08568+4733, PPM 50987, SAO 42661, WDS J09036+4709AB.
Database references
SIMBAD	data

Kappa Ursae Majoris (Kappa UMa, κ Ursae Majoris, κ UMa) is a binary star in the constellation Ursa Major. It is approximately 358 light years from Earth and has the traditional names Talitha Australis, Al Kaprah, and Alphikra Australis.

Both components of the binary star are a white A-type main sequence dwarfs. They have apparent magnitudes of +4.2 and +4.4, which gives the system a combined apparent magnitude of +3.60. The orbital period of the binary is 35.6 years (13,007.2 days), and the two stars are separated by 0.18 arcseconds.

Name and etymology

• The traditional name Talitha' (share with ι UMa) comes from the Arabic phrase Al Fiḳrah al Thalitha "the third spring, or leap, of the ghazal". The term Australis meaning "the south side" in Latin.
• In Chinese, 三台 (Sān Tái), meaning Three Steps, refers to an asterism consisting of κ Ursae Majoris, ι Ursae Majoris, λ Ursae Majoris, μ Ursae Majoris, ν Ursae Majoris and ξ Ursae Majoris. Consequently, κ Ursae Majoris itself is known as 三台二 (Sān Tái èr, English: the Second Star of Three Steps) and 上台二 (Shàng Tái èr, English: Star of Second Upper Step).