Alioth
Epsilon Ursae Majoris · Ursa Major
Position (2026)
♍ 9°18' Virgo
Magnitude
1.76
Planetary Nature
Mars (robson)
Robson: Mars. Epsilon Ursae Majoris.
Spectral Type
A0p
Appearance
A variable white star at the beginning of the Big Dipper's handle, the brightest star in Ursa Major
Name Origin
Language
Arabic
Original Form
Alyat
Meaning
Uncertain; possibly the Fat Tail (of the sheep)
Epsilon Ursae Majoris. The etymology is debated. Allen suggests it may derive from the Arabic Alyat, the fat tail of the eastern sheep, though the connection to a bear constellation is puzzling. Others derive it from Al Jawn (the Black Horse or the Black One). It is the brightest star in Ursa Major despite its epsilon designation.
Known As
Alioth in Astrology
Alioth, in the tail of the Great Bear, carries Mars energy that bestows magnetic influence and a natural position at the center of events. It grants you an energetic authority that draws others into your orbit, and you instinctively assume organizational command of whatever situation you enter. The Mars nature here is centripetal rather than combative, asserting power through gravitational pull rather than force.
Mythology & History
Alioth takes its name from the Arabic Alyat al-Hamal, though the exact derivation is debated: it may mean 'the fat tail of the sheep' from an older Arabian star figure that preceded the bear. Alioth is the brightest star in Ursa Major and the brightest star in the entire Big Dipper asterism, yet it receives less attention than the pointer stars or Mizar. Its Mars nature gives it an assertive, energetic quality. Alioth is notable for having one of the strongest magnetic fields among bright stars, a physical characteristic that resonates with its astrological reputation for magnetism and influence.
Ursa Major Context
Alioth sits in the middle of the Big Dipper's handle, which forms the tail of Ursa Major, the Great Bear. In the Arabian funerary tradition, it is the middle mourning daughter following the celestial bier. In the bear mythology, it is the midpoint of the unnaturally long tail that was said to have been stretched when Zeus grabbed it to hurl the bear into the sky. The middle position gives Alioth a quality of centrality and balance within the bear's most prominent feature.
Learn more about Ursa Major and its stars.
Natal Conjunctions
Find your conjunctions →Alioth Conjunct Sun
Alioth conjunct the Sun produces a personality of natural magnetic authority that draws others into your orbit. You occupy the center of events without always intending to, and your identity carries an energetic charge that makes you the reference point around which others organize.
Alioth Conjunct Moon
Alioth conjunct the Moon creates emotional instincts of magnetic, centralizing force. Your feelings draw people toward you, and emotional life carries a quality of gravitational pull that makes you the emotional center of any group you belong to.
Alioth Conjunct Mercury
Alioth conjunct Mercury gives a mind of centralizing, organizing intelligence. Your ideas become the reference points around which others orient their thinking, and communication carries a magnetic quality that attracts attention and shapes collective understanding.
Alioth Conjunct Venus
Alioth conjunct Venus brings magnetic attractiveness and a centralizing quality to love and creative expression. You draw people through charm that operates like a natural force, and relationships tend to orbit around your aesthetic and emotional gravity.
Alioth Conjunct Mars
Alioth conjunct Mars doubles the magnetic, assertive energy into exceptional personal force. You command attention through sheer vitality and possess a competitive presence that naturally dominates any arena you enter. Action is decisive and magnetically compelling.
Alioth Conjunct Jupiter
Alioth conjunct Jupiter expands magnetic influence into broad, naturally authoritative leadership. You attract followers through a combination of energetic charisma and philosophical vision, and your optimism has a contagious, centralizing quality.
Alioth Conjunct Saturn
Alioth conjunct Saturn grounds magnetic influence in structural authority earned through sustained effort. You become the organizational center of serious, long-term enterprises, and your gravitational pull grows more powerful with each decade of demonstrated competence.
Alioth Conjunct Uranus
Alioth conjunct Uranus electrifies magnetic influence with unpredictable, revolutionary energy. You attract others into unexpected movements and possess the charisma to draw people toward innovations they would not have considered on their own.
Alioth Conjunct Neptune
Alioth conjunct Neptune infuses magnetic presence with spiritual sensitivity and imaginative charisma. You draw others through inspiration rather than force, and your centralizing influence operates through vision and enchantment rather than assertion.
Alioth Conjunct Pluto
Alioth conjunct Pluto transforms magnetic influence into a centralizing power of extraordinary depth and intensity. You draw events and people toward fundamental transformation, and your presence permanently alters the dynamics of any group you enter.
Alioth Conjunct North Node
Alioth conjunct the North Node orients destiny toward developing natural authority and the magnetic capacity to draw others into purposeful, organized action.
Alioth Conjunct Ascendant
Alioth on the Ascendant gives an immediately magnetic, centralizing physical presence. Others are drawn to you without fully understanding why, and you naturally become the focal point of attention in any social or professional setting.
Alioth Conjunct Midheaven
Alioth on the Midheaven builds a career at the center of professional activity. You naturally attract important projects and positions, and your career advances through the magnetic quality that makes you the reference point for organizational activity.
Paran Interpretations
Parans describe what happens when Alioth and a planet simultaneously occupy the four angles (rising, culminating, setting, nadir) at a given location.
Alioth in Paran with Sun
Rising
Alioth rising with the Sun marks someone who enters life with natural magnetic presence and centralizing energy.
Culminating
Alioth culminating with the Sun places magnetic authority and organizational centrality at the peak of public achievement.
Setting
Alioth setting with the Sun suggests a legacy of magnetic influence and natural leadership recognized across a lifetime.
At the Nadir
Alioth at the nadir with the Sun reveals a deeply private magnetic force that silently draws events toward your center.
Alioth in Paran with Moon
Rising
Alioth rising with the Moon instills early emotional magnetism and the instinct to become the emotional center of groups.
Culminating
Alioth culminating with the Moon brings magnetic emotional presence to its most visible and publicly compelling expression.
Setting
Alioth setting with the Moon indicates emotional gravity that grows more powerfully centralizing and attractive with age.
At the Nadir
Alioth at the nadir with the Moon conceals an extraordinary emotional magnetism that operates as the hidden center of all relationships.
Alioth in Paran with Mercury
Rising
Alioth rising with Mercury bestows early communicative magnetism and the ability to become the intellectual center of attention.
Culminating
Alioth culminating with Mercury elevates magnetically compelling communication to the highest professional platform.
Setting
Alioth setting with Mercury suggests ideas and speech that grow more magnetically influential and centrally important with time.
At the Nadir
Alioth at the nadir with Mercury reveals a hidden intellectual magnetism that shapes how others think beneath visible conversation.
Alioth in Paran with Venus
Rising
Alioth rising with Venus shapes early love with magnetic attractiveness and the natural charm of a centralizing presence.
Culminating
Alioth culminating with Venus brings recognition for magnetically attractive beauty and love that draws others naturally.
Setting
Alioth setting with Venus suggests creative and romantic magnetism that grows more powerful and refined with maturity.
At the Nadir
Alioth at the nadir with Venus conceals a private magnetic charm that quietly draws love and beauty into your orbit.
Alioth in Paran with Mars
Rising
Alioth rising with Mars produces exceptional early physical magnetism and the assertive force to command attention.
Culminating
Alioth culminating with Mars places magnetic competitive energy and commanding presence at the absolute peak of achievement.
Setting
Alioth setting with Mars indicates physical magnetism and assertive centrality that grow more commanding with experience.
At the Nadir
Alioth at the nadir with Mars conceals reserves of magnetic assertive energy that emerge with commanding force when needed.
Alioth in Paran with Jupiter
Rising
Alioth rising with Jupiter expands early magnetic influence into broad, naturally authoritative leadership and vision.
Culminating
Alioth culminating with Jupiter brings peak achievement through expansive, magnetically compelling philosophical leadership.
Setting
Alioth setting with Jupiter indicates growing magnetic influence and expanding centralizing authority in the later years.
At the Nadir
Alioth at the nadir with Jupiter reveals a vast inner charismatic force and philosophical magnetism that fuels all outward leadership.
Alioth in Paran with Saturn
Rising
Alioth rising with Saturn demands early discipline in channeling magnetic presence into structured, reliable authority.
Culminating
Alioth culminating with Saturn achieves the deepest organizational authority through decades of magnetically compelling leadership.
Setting
Alioth setting with Saturn builds an enduring reputation for structural authority and magnetic organizational power.
At the Nadir
Alioth at the nadir with Saturn establishes inner reserves of disciplined magnetic force that sustain lasting organizational centrality.
Alioth in Paran with Ascendant
Rising
Alioth rising with the Ascendant stamps the personality with unmistakable magnetic presence and centralizing charisma.
Culminating
Alioth culminating with the Ascendant projects magnetic personal authority onto the broadest and most visible stage.
Setting
Alioth setting with the Ascendant draws others who are pulled into your orbit by your naturally centralizing presence.
At the Nadir
Alioth at the nadir with the Ascendant grounds personal identity in a deeply private magnetic core that draws events toward you.
Alioth in Paran with Midheaven
Rising
Alioth rising with the Midheaven launches a career defined by magnetic professional centrality from the earliest steps.
Culminating
Alioth culminating with the Midheaven represents the absolute peak of magnetically compelling career authority and centrality.
Setting
Alioth setting with the Midheaven indicates a career legacy of magnetic organizational influence recognized across a lifetime.
At the Nadir
Alioth at the nadir with the Midheaven builds career success on hidden foundations of magnetic force and organizational gravity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Alioth mean?
The name Alioth comes from Arabic: Alyat, meaning "Uncertain; possibly the Fat Tail (of the sheep)." Epsilon Ursae Majoris. The star is known by 3 different cultural names across world traditions.
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