How to Navigate by the Stars
Look for Polaris, the North Star., Use pointer stars to help you find the North Star.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for Polaris
Polaris is the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor, the Little Bear.
It can be found in the bear’s tail. (The ancient Greeks, and many other peoples, saw bears as having long tails.) The star is called Polaris because it appears within a degree of the Celestial North Pole and so appears not to move in the night sky.
Today, because the seven stars of Ursa Minor look like a small water dipper, most people refer to Ursa Minor as the Little Dipper instead of the Little Bear. -
Step 2: the North Star.
Although Polaris is visible in the northern sky at most locations north of the equator, it can be hard to spot if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for.
You can use stars in other constellations to point the way to Polaris.
The most commonly used pointer stars are Merak and Dubhe, the two stars on the edge of the Big Dipper opposite its handle.By following these stars in the direction of the Big Dipper’s mouth, you can find Polaris.
During the times of night when the Big Dipper is below the horizon, such as the early hours of fall, you can instead draw a line through the stars at the eastern edge of the Great Square of Pegasus, Algenib and Alpheratz (actually part of the constellation Andromeda), and through Caph, the star at the rightmost edge of the W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia, to find Polaris. -
Step 3: Use pointer stars to help you find the North Star.
Detailed Guide
Polaris is the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor, the Little Bear.
It can be found in the bear’s tail. (The ancient Greeks, and many other peoples, saw bears as having long tails.) The star is called Polaris because it appears within a degree of the Celestial North Pole and so appears not to move in the night sky.
Today, because the seven stars of Ursa Minor look like a small water dipper, most people refer to Ursa Minor as the Little Dipper instead of the Little Bear.
Although Polaris is visible in the northern sky at most locations north of the equator, it can be hard to spot if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for.
You can use stars in other constellations to point the way to Polaris.
The most commonly used pointer stars are Merak and Dubhe, the two stars on the edge of the Big Dipper opposite its handle.By following these stars in the direction of the Big Dipper’s mouth, you can find Polaris.
During the times of night when the Big Dipper is below the horizon, such as the early hours of fall, you can instead draw a line through the stars at the eastern edge of the Great Square of Pegasus, Algenib and Alpheratz (actually part of the constellation Andromeda), and through Caph, the star at the rightmost edge of the W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia, to find Polaris.
About the Author
Nicholas Ellis
Specializes in breaking down complex pet care topics into simple steps.
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