Stars of UMa.

[cotterless45]

Looking up and pointing out stars that have stories adds to the fascination of the night sky. Apart from the first and last stars this is a moving giant cluster ( star association) from being a tighter and new open cluster.
Let's look at the stars of the "plough",

Dubbe (α) is a very wide orange and brown pair at low magnification.

Mizar and Alcor are optical doubles, the bright one , Mizar opening out to give a 14.3" split. Always a nice tester to see the main two by eye.

Talitha (ι UMa) shows a white and a close 4.5" blue, I found this quite a challenge.

Σ1523  SAO 62484 (53 UMa, xi )(Alula Australis), a superb widening binary 1.7" at +4.3 +4.8 with an orbit of 59.8 years. This was the first ever binary discovered on 2nd of May 1780 by Sir William Herschel and the first visual double for which the orbit was found. 
To the north is Lalande 21185 a red dwarf +7.5 at 11h30.3m. +35 58'11". This is the fourth closest star and nearest planetary system at 8.32 lys.
Next door is Groombridge 1830 SAO 62738(Argelander's Star) the third fastest proper motion star , moving one degree every 511 years. At +6.4 go to 11h52.9m. +37 43'.

Some colours and showcases 
Σ1193 SAO 6507 shows a wide orange and blue at x50.
23 UMa SAO 14908 shows yellow and green, there is a third element at 100" being +10.5.
Σ1415 shows a pair at 16.5".
Σ1495 SAO 27861 between Merak and Dubhe shows an easy wide lovely pair.
h 2554 is a wide 40" with plenty colour here.
57 UMa  SAO 62572 a lovely white and blue at x100.
Σ1559  SAO 15580 I use as a tester, a lovely delicate companion at 1.8".
65 UMa SAO 43945 is a colourful triple , worth a long look.
Σ1603 gives a lonely pair of headlights at x50.
Σ1695 SAO 28572 gives a lot of colour at 3.8". As does the blue companion of
78 UMa SAO 28601 at a close 1.2".
Σ1770 , a most delicate pair, but I caught it in the 102. More colour at
Σ1795 at 7.9". I'll end with the very delicate 
Σ1831 an arc of a triple at x50.

All these were caught from the street lit edge of town. The only good thing about permacloud is going through old notes, hoping for clear skies ! Nick.

Old Nick.

[Doc]

Fantastic list I now know what I'll be observing when I'm out next 

I've seen quite a few of them, I'm missing the Struve ones.

[Hayduke27]

Great list!  Thanks for sharing