The Little Dipper is a constellation that includes Polaris, the North Star. While Polaris is the brightest star in the Little Dipper, the other stars vary in brightness.
Here's a breakdown:
* Polaris (α Ursae Minoris): The brightest star, appearing as a magnitude 2 star.
* Dubhe (β Ursae Minoris): The second brightest star, appearing as a magnitude 2 star.
* Merak (ζ Ursae Minoris): Appearing as a magnitude 3 star.
* Phecda (γ Ursae Minoris): Appearing as a magnitude 3 star.
* Megrez (δ Ursae Minoris): Appearing as a magnitude 4 star.
* Alioth (ε Ursae Minoris): The third brightest star, appearing as a magnitude 2 star.
* Mizar (ζ Ursae Majoris): Appears as a magnitude 2 star, but is a double star system, with Mizar A and Mizar B.
This difference in brightness is due to factors like distance from Earth and the star's intrinsic luminosity.
