- Alkaid /�l’ke?d/, also called Eta Ursae Majoris (Latinised from ? Ursae Majoris, abbreviated Eta UMa, ? UMa), is a star in the constellation of Ursa Major. It is the easternmost star in the Big Dipper (or Plough) asterism. However, unlike most stars of the Big Dipper, it is not a member of the Ursa Major moving group. With an apparent visual magnitude of +1.86, it is the third-brightest star in the constellation and one of the brightest stars in the night sky.