Gamma Ursae Minoris

1100 L ☉

Pherkad, also Pherkab Gamma Ursae Minoris or ( γ UMi ) is the name of the third brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor. The Arabic name فرقد, DMG Farqad derived from Alifa al - farqadain and means " the darker of the two calves " ( with the lighter calf was the Kochab meant ).

Pherkad together with Kochab the conclusion of the case of the constellation " Little Dipper ", which is seen as the Little Bear often. It has an apparent magnitude of 3.03 mag and is so easy to recognize with the naked eye.

Pherkad is a white bright giant star and belongs to the spectral class A3. Its distance from the sun is by the Hipparcos database about 480 light-years.