What is Ursa Minor?
{{Infobox Constellation | name =Ursa Minor | abbreviation = UMi | genitive = Ursae Minoris | pronounce = {{IPA-en|ˌɜrsə ˈmaɪnər|}}, genitive {{IPA|/ˌɜrsiː mɨˈnɒrɨs/}} | symbolism = The Little [[Bear]] | RA = 15 | dec= +75 | family = [[Ursa Major Family|Ursa Major]] | quadrant = NQ3 | areatotal = 256 | arearank = 56th | numbermainstars = 7 | numberbfstars = 23 | numberstarsplanets = 1 | numberbrightstars = 3 | numbernearbystars = 0 | brighteststarname = [[Polaris]] | starmagnitude = 1.97 | neareststarname = [[UU Ursae Minoris|UU UMi]] | stardistancely = 42.60 | stardistancepc = 13.06 | numbermessierobjects = 0 | meteorshowers = [[Ursids]] | bordering = [[Draco (constellation)|Draco]]<br />[[Camelopardalis]]<br />[[Cepheus (constellation)|Cepheus]] | latmax = [[North Pole|90]] | latmin = [[10th parallel south|10]] | month = June | notes= }} '''Ursa Minor''' is a [[constellation]] in the northern sky. It is often called '''the Little Bear''' or '''the Little Dipper'''. Just like the related constellation [[Ursa Major (constellation)|Ursa Major]], or '''the Big Bear''' or '''Big Dipper''', it seems to have a long handle leading to a cup or ladle. The end of the handle is [[Polaris (star)|the North Star, called Polaris]]. The ancient astronomer [[Ptolemy]] included Ursa Minor in his list of 48 constellations. It is now one of the 88 [[List of constellations|modern constellations]]. Ursa Minor is special because it includes the north [[celestial pole]]. However, this will change after several hundred years because the Earth will change the direction of its [[Axis (mathematics)|axis]]. That movement is called [[Precession of the equinoxes|precession]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Navigating the Night Sky: How to Identify the Stars and Constellations |author= Guilherme de Almeida|year=2004|publisher=Springer|isbn=1852337370}}</ref> ==Special features== [[Image:Dipper (PSF).png|thumb|left|180px|A dipper, or ladle]] ===Stars=== Ursa Minor is often called the Little Dipper because its seven brightest [[star]]s seem to be in t