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

_______________________________ 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

_____________________________ 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

___________________________ 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