How to find the North Star in the starry sky. In what constellation is Polaris

Probably, there is no such person who would not like to look at the starry sky. It has long attracted the attention of poets, philosophers and artists. Most people like to look at the stars and dream. But they seem too mysterious, and rarely anyone can see the order in their arrangement. But for travelers of antiquity, the stars were the only means of orienting in the dark.

In the Northern Hemisphere, there is one landmark, which many times rescued lost. This is the North Star. It can be seen from any point, and it is always in one place. In order not to get lost, you just need to know how to find the North Star in the starry sky.

It is not among the twenty brightest, but its light has always been a beacon for people. And it seems that all the luminaries revolve around her. It really is the axis. During the Earth's rotation, its position is always unchanged and shows the direction to the north. After all, it is closest to the north pole of the world. The location of the stars in the sky has not changed for many millennia, but because of the displacement of the earth's axis a thousand years ago there was another Polar Star.

In which constellation it is located

This name is not the name of any particular star, but only the role that the luminary performs, pointing to the north. In the modern era, the role of the Polar Star is played by Alpha from the Little Ursa, which is only one degree from the north pole of the world. In this constellation, it is the brightest. The Little Dipper consists of 29 stars, only seven of which are bright enough to be well marked. They make up a figure called a small bucket. At the end of his handle is the North Star.

This constellation is not the largest and stands at 56th place in size. But it is known not only because it is a mirror image of the Big Dipper, but also because it is in it that the Polaris is now located. Only thanks to her, they find the constellation of the Little Ursa. But for this, of course, you need to know how to find the North Star in the starry sky.

Characteristics of the star

It refers to variable stars, and it is also called the cepheid. The period of its pulsation is more than four days, and in the current period it is in a state of relative tranquility. Astronomers have determined that its brightness is growing, and it shines much more with modern people than it was thousands of years ago. So now it is much easier to learn how to find the North Star in the sky. But it is believed that it refers to fading and age-old very old.

This luminary belongs to the class of supergiants. It is 23 times larger than the Sun in size and 4 times its mass. And brighter than our light 2500 times. It is a double star, but it can be determined only with the help of a super-powerful telescope. Therefore, the second could only be seen in the 30s of the 20th century. And in 2006, the Hubble telescope determined that this is a triple system.

The color of the star is a little yellowish, and it is slightly hotter than the Sun. At what distance it is located from the Earth, still can not accurately determine. It is believed that it is 434 light years.

Role of the Polar Star

It can be used to determine the sides of the world. If you stand facing her, then the south will be behind. Orienting to the Polar star, you can also determine the geographical latitude to within one degree. To do this, you need a protractor, which must be pointed at the star, and a plumb line, which should be fixed in the center of its base. From the obtained angle subtract 90 degrees and get the value of the geographical latitude. The north you are, the higher the target point above the horizon, and the more other stars you will see around it. If you know how to find the North Star in the starry sky, you can always determine your location.

History of the Polar Star

Immobility of this star at all times attracted the attention of representatives of all nations. Ancient Arabs considered it an opening in the sky, and with it was associated legend, describing it as a giant coffin, in which lies the warrior of the sky. The Greeks called her Kinosoura, which means "dog's tail". And in India there is a beautiful legend that God made the star of a little boy, whom no one could distract from prayer. The names of stars and constellations developed in ancient times, and many myths explain their origin.

How to find the North Star in the starry sky

If you know this, you will never get lost. After all, it is visible in the Northern Hemisphere all night and at any time of the year and always points to the north. To find the North Star, first find the constellation Ursa Major. Seven bright stars make up a figure that looks like a ladle. If you draw a line through the wall of this bucket, then at a distance five times the length of this bucket, you will see the North Star.

If suddenly the Big Dipper is not visible, which is rare, you can use the constellation Cassiopeia, which is similar to the letter "M". If you connect three of its bright stars and draw a perpendicular from the middle of this line, then at a distance four times larger than the width of the constellation, you will see the North Star.