mizar alcor | EarthSky

Closeup of up 2 stars. Alcor, on the left, is smaller and yellowish, Mizar, on the right, is bigger and blue-white.

Mizar and Alcor in the bend of the Big Dipper

Mizar and Alcor are a famous pair of stars located at the bend of the handle of the Big Dipper. But what we see as 2 stars are really 6 stars!

Big Dipper to Polaris, Mizar, Alcor

Use the Big Dipper to find Polaris, the North Star. Then notice the two stars Mizar and Alcor in the Big Dipper’s handle.

Find Mizar and Alcor in the Big Dipper

Early stargazers used this pair of stars as a vision test.

Night sky scene with hexagon and figures of constellation superimposed over stars.

What’s a constellation? What’s an asterism?

Constellations and asterisms are patterns of stars. Some asterisms consist of stars from different constellations, and some are part of 1 constellation.

Telescopic image of a large, more than half-lit moon with distinct craters and darker blotches.

What are the best targets for binoculars?

The best targets for binoculars in the night sky are the moon, planets, star clusters and nebulae. You can even catch the smudge of distant galaxies in them.

Sky measurements: Degrees, arcminutes and arcseconds

What are sky measurements - or distances - in the night sky? Here's what it means for objects to be several degrees (or arcminutes or arcseconds) apart.

Close-up of the blue and gold double star Albireo.

Double stars: How to find, observe and enjoy them

This observing guide gives you a range of choices for seeing double stars with your eyes alone, with binoculars or with a telescope. And some are easy to find.

Large orangish full moon with kids on a fence in front.

Our top 10 stargazing tips for beginning astronomers

If you're new to observing the night sky, check out our top 10 stargazing tips for beginners. We'll help you explore and expand your love for astronomy.

In a star field, a large, spherical, whitish cloud, fading into space all around, with a dark lane across it.

Deep-sky photos for February 2024: Editor’s picks

Enjoy this gallery of deep-sky photos for February 2024 from our EarthSky community. And if you have a great photo to share, send it in. We love to see them!

Dots and lines making the shape of the Big Dipper plus the longer form including the head and legs of Ursa Major.

Ursa Major the Great Bear, home to the Big Dipper

Ursa Major the Great Bear is in Northern Hemisphere skies and is home to the asterism of the Big Dipper, which you can use to find other constellations.

The Big Dipper’s deep sky

Many people recognize the Big Dipper in the northern sky. Here are 10 deep-sky Messier objects - 8 galaxies, a planetary nebula, and a double star - in and around the Big Dipper.

Big Dipper before dawn

In the month of June, the Big Dipper is low in the sky before dawn.

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Mizar and Alcor in the bend of the Big Dipper

Big Dipper to Polaris, Mizar, Alcor

Find Mizar and Alcor in the Big Dipper

What’s a constellation? What’s an asterism?

What are the best targets for binoculars?

Sky measurements: Degrees, arcminutes and arcseconds

Double stars: How to find, observe and enjoy them

Our top 10 stargazing tips for beginning astronomers

Deep-sky photos for February 2024: Editor’s picks

Ursa Major the Great Bear, home to the Big Dipper

The Big Dipper’s deep sky

Big Dipper before dawn