Ursa Minor (Little Bear) is a constellation in the northern sky. In
North America, it is also known as the Little Dipper since its seven
main stars appear to form a ladle shape (diagram pictured). One of 88
modern constellations, it was also one of 48 listed by 2nd-century
astronomer Ptolemy. Polaris, its brightest star, is currently less than
one degree away from the north celestial pole. Because this position
stays nearly fixed as the Earth rotates, the star has been important
for navigation, particularly by mariners. Polaris is a yellow-white
supergiant and the brightest Cepheid variable star, ranging in apparent
magnitude (m) from 1.97 to 2.00. Beta Ursae Minoris, also known as
Kochab, has swollen and cooled to become an orange giant with a
slightly fainter m of 2.08. Ursa Minor also contains an isolated neutron
star—Calvera—and H1504+65, the hottest known white dwarf, with a
surface temperature of 200,000 K. Planets have been detected orbiting
four of its stars, including Kochab.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursa_Minor>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1475:
Moldavian–Ottoman Wars: Stephen the Great led Moldavian
forces to defeat an Ottoman attack under Hadım Suleiman Pasha near
Vaslui in what is now Romania.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vaslui>
1863:
Service began on the Metropolitan Railway (construction
depicted) between Paddington and Farringdon Street, today the oldest
segment of the London Underground.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Railway>
1923:
Lithuanian residents of the Memel Territory rebelled against
the League of Nations decision to leave the area as a mandated region
under French control.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaip%C4%97da_Revolt>
2007:
A general strike began in Guinea as an attempt to force
President Lansana Conté to resign, eventually resulting in the
appointment of two new prime ministers.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Guinean_general_strike>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
blooper:
1. (informal) A blunder, an error.
2. (baseball, slang) A fly ball that is weakly hit just over the
infielders.
3. (film, informal) A filmed or videotaped outtake that has recorded an
amusing accident and/or mistake.
4. (nautical) A gaff-rigged fore-and-aft sail set from and aft of the
aftmost mast of a square-rigged ship; a spanker.
5. (US, dated) A radio which interferes with other radios, causing them
to bloop (squeal loudly).
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/blooper>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Truth is the only merit that gives dignity and worth to history.
--John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Dalberg-Acton,_1st_Baron_Acton>
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