Just out of interest

[Citizen]

How many on here can actually make out Ursa Minor with the naked eye? Obviously I can see Polaris but that seems to be it for me (even with my glasses on - only slightly short sighted)

I assume that is a measure of the lp in my area?

[garethmob]

i can but only when im at my auntys where its much darker, in newport i can make out polaris, ursa major, and just the shape of orion (belt, 2 sholders and 2 feet)

[Atlas]

I can make it out fine over here on the base. I can make out the Orion Neb smear with the naked eye. LP Isn't the best here, but it helps being located outside the city about 10 miles.

[paul schofield]

On average here I can see polaris depending on conditions. I have seen Ursa Minor once in all its glory, but that was on an extremely clear night 3 months ago.

[foundaplanet]

Ursa Minor is how I gauge the viewing from my cruddy back yard. South I see barely anything because of the cathedral. North is not too bad. On a good night I can make out the whole constellation. On a bad night like last night I could only see Polaris, Kochab and Pherkad.

[starnut]

I get a very good view from my dark site at Farley Mount in Hampshire

[todd8137]

No probs from where i am can even see the milky way most of the time rural area tho

[Uplooker]

I can see Polaris no problem, but really struggle to see Ursa Minor.

Ian

[basher0010]

cant see ursa minor from here in chester polaris and ursa major no probs..

[Double Kick Drum]

I can see all of Ursa Minor unless the sky is hazy.

[RikM]

Ursa Minor is how I gauge the viewing from my cruddy back yard....On a good night I can make out the whole constellation. On a bad night like last night I could only see Polaris, Kochab and Pherkad.

Exactly the same for me. On an average night I can see Polaris and 4 or 5 of the other 7 main stars. I have a laminated chart of star magnitudes in the front of my note book and make a record of LVM for each sessions. Average entry for me is mag 4.25.

[Frank the Troll]

Not a problem here, nice and clear

Sorry, just rubbing it in

[boabsta]

Only when the moon is in hiding.

[661-pete]

Yes, usually, on a clear moonless night. Polaris and Kochab (both mag. 2) should be easy enough, and Pherkad (gamma) at mag. 3 is not far behind.

If you want to see the remaining four stars, delta, epsilon, zeta and eta, that together complete the somewhat distorted and scaled-down version of the Plough (with Polaris at the tip of its handle), then you need rather darker skies. The faintest, eta, at the bottom-left of the 'bowl', is mag. 5 so you really need a reasonably dark sky to see it comfortably. But there is a close neighbour (19) which helps to pick it out.

Kochab is bright enough that I have once or twice mistaken it for Polaris when polar-aligning - which is embarrassing...

[Alan_B]

cant see ursa minor - polaris and ursa major no problem

[perrin6]

I can see the 3 brightest stars (when I'm sober)

[661-pete]

I wonder if, for some people, the inability to make out Kochab and Pherkad at the very least, is due to being unsure of their position?

At the risk of being a bit patronising, I attach a screen shot (from CdC) showing the orientation of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor at about 21:00 at this time of year. Kochab is beta and Pherkad is gamma. HTH.

[Double Kick Drum]

I can see all of Ursa Minor unless the sky is hazy.

Hazy tonight, I couldn't see Eta UMi.

Is it still there?

[kernowstargazer]

I can see polaris most clear nights and all of ursa minor on moonless nights with no problem

[John]

As per Rik and foundaplanet, I use the visibility of the 4 stars in the "bowl" of Ursa Minor as an indicator of a decent night of seeing. It's a truly awful night when Polaris is not visible.

[SheffieldAstronomer]

Being 12 miles out of the City Centre, I can pretty much make out the Night Sky

[laser_jock99]

How many on here can actually make out Ursa Minor with the naked eye?

Not easliy- too many stars....

[182570]

I can see polaris and most of ursa minor,and I thought my skies were fairly light polluted

[scuffer]

From NE Manchester and can see polaris but never seen ursa minor . . . Only been looking for a couple of weeks though so there is time yet.

[Kuff dam]

I can see Polaris but i've struggled with Ursa Minor. It could be that i'm still a complete novice though. I'll keep looking!