How far is the distance between each star in the Big Dipper?I really want to know this.?

Question

I want to know the distance in miles and in light years between each of the starts in the Big Dipper.I at least want the distance in miles.Any help with this question will make me very greatfull.Thank you so very much.

Answer 1

A tall order! The object we call the Big Dipper is a collection of 7 major stars, which, from our vantage point, appear to be near each other. All we can really say, however, is that they are in the same region of space (compared to where we are). Here is a simple map:

http://www.dustbunny.com/afk/constellations/bigdipper/bigdippermap.html

What you are asking is the distance between any two of the stars. Of the 7 stars, the central 5 are "loosly associated" with each other - that is, within 10 light years of each other (= about 59 trillion miles). However, Dubhe and Marek (the "pointer stars" at the end of the dipper - used to locate the North Star), although they look close together, really are not. Marek is at a distance of 79 light years (about 475 trillion miles) from Earth and Dubhe is at a distance of 124 light years. Since they APPEAR near each other (that is the angle) between them and Earth is very small, we can use the difference in their distance from Earth as a good (but still rough) approximation of their distance from each other. This would be 124 - 79 = 45 light years, X 5.6 trillion miles per light year = 252 trillion miles.

Here's some more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Ursae_Majoris

Answer 2

Even if the Big Dipper can be see from Earth as a projection, I would try to estimate that the two extreme stars are about 50 lightyear far from each other.

Answer 3

An interesting exercise in three-dimensional math!

Starting from the end of the handle and moving inward, then down and around the bowl, these seven stars (and their Bayer designations) are: Alkaid (Eta), Mizar (Zeta), Alioth (Epsilon), Megrez (Delta), Phecda (Gamma), Merak (Beta), and Dubhe (Alpha).

The approximate actual distances between them (in parsecs) are:
Alpha-Beta: 13.85
Alpha-Delta: 14.05
Alpha-Gamma: 13.51
Alpha-Epsilon: 15.42
Alpha-Zeta: 17.23
Alpha-Eta: 16.77
Beta-Delta: 4.38
Beta-Gamma: 3.68
Beta-Eplison: 6.65
Beta-Zeta: 8.34
Beta-Eta: 13.78
Delta-Gamma: 2.11
Delta-Epsilon: 2.36
Delta-Zeta: 4.29
Delta-Eta: 9.61
Gamma-Epsilon: 4.02
Gamma-Zeta: 5.92
Gamma-Eta: 10.28
Epsilon-Zeta: 2.04
Epsilon-Eta: 7.89
Zeta-Eta: 7.60

For reference, the distance (in parsecs) from the Sun to these stars are:
Alpha: 37.91
Beta: 24.35
Delta: 24.97
Gamma: 25.65
Epsilon: 24.81
Zeta: 23.96
Eta: 30.87

To get the distance in light-years, multiply parsecs by 3.26, or to get the distance in miles, multiply parsecs by 19,173,511,600,000. (Whew! You can sure see why parsecs are the astronomical standard!)

Answer 4

That's a tall order,... how much is it worth to you for this information?

Answer 5

Go to discovery.com

Answer 6

Really, really, really, really, really, really, really, reeeeeeeeeally FAR!!! =)

Answer 7

sorry....i really.... really DUNNO!!!