Utah State Centennial Star

Dubhe

Adopted in 1996

The star, Dubhe, one of the seven bright stars composing the Big Dipper of the constellation Ursa major, is designated as the state centennial star.(House Bill 140, 1996) (Utah Code)

According to an article in the Salt Lake Tribune, January 22,1996, the star Dubhe (rhymes with tubby) in the Big Dipper was named the state centennial star because the light emitted from the star takes 100 years to reach us and, of course, 1996 was Utah's Centennial. Dubhe's 100 year light distance means it is 588 trillion miles from Earth. Another interesting note: Polaris, the brightest star in Ursa Minor (Little Dipper) can be easiest found by using Merak and Dubhe in Ursa Major as pointers.

When asked if the state really needed a state star and astronomical symbol, Rep. Marda Dillree, R-Farmington, sponsor of the bill, suggested that perhaps not but Utah has a diverse population with a multitude of interests.

The name Dubhe derives from the Arabic phrase Thahr al Dubb al Akbar meaning "The Back of the Greater Bear". Dubhe is an orange K0IIIa giant. The spectral type implies an effective temperature of 4500 K, a mass 4 times that of the sun and 16 times the diameter. Dubhe differs from other stars in the Big Dipper by having an orange hue.

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