Epsilon Ursae Majoris (Epsilon UMa, ε Ursae Majoris, ε UMa) is the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Major (despite its Bayer designation being merely "epsilon"), and at magnitude 1.76 is the thirty-first brightest star in the sky. It has the traditional name Alioth. It is the star in the tail of the bear closest to its body, and thus the star in the handle of the Big Dipper closest to the bowl. It is also a member of the large and diffuse Ursa Major moving group. Historically, the star was frequently used in celestial navigation in the maritime trade, because it is listed as one of the 57 navigational stars.
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