Pherkad (also Pherkab) is the designation of the star gamma Ursae Minoris. Pherkad forms the conclusion of the box of the constellation of small cars together with Kochab. Pherkad has an apparent brightness of +3,1 mag. Pherkad belongs to the spectral class a2 and is approx.. removes 480 light-years of the earth (Hipparcos data base).
Ursa Minor is a constellation in the northern sky, the name of which means Small Bear in Latin.
In early greek mythology, the seven stars in Ursa Minor were considered to be the Hesperides, daughters of Atlas.
Boötes, Ursa Major, and Draco) it may have formed the origin of the myth of the apples of the Hesperides, which forms part of The Twelve Labours of Herakles.
The seven stars are the origin of the Latin word septentrion meaning "north," and now found as the adjective septentrional (northern) in French and Spanish, to go with adjectives for the other three directions that refer to the position of the sun.
The constellation of Ursa Minor, which, when including less visible stars which are still visible to the naked eye, vaguely resembles a bear (with an unusually long tail).
In earlier times, Ursa Minor was considered just to be seven close stars, and mythologically was regarded, as such, as sisters.
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