Observing the Sky: Constellations - Finding Polaris

People have long relied on the North Star to navigate, or find their way, when far from shore and familiar territory. But Polaris is not a very bright star, so it can be difficult to find. Luckily, the Big Dipper can be a big help. The Big Dipper is found in the northern sky, but of course it's not always in the same place. Sometimes the Dipper will be upside down or on its side, and the closer you live to the equator, the lower in your sky it will appear. From most places in the Northern Hemisphere, the Big Dipper should be visible high in the sky from late winter through early summer. During these seasons, the Dipper will be on its side or upside down. If you live far enough north, you will see the Dipper through summer and fall, when the cup is upright.

Find the last two stars in the Big Dipper's cup and imagine a line connecting the bottom star (Merak) to the star at the lip of the cup (Dubhe), then continuing toward a medium-bright star about two fist-lengths away. This is Polaris, the North Star. Some people mistakenly believe the North Star is the brightest star in the sky, but it's not very bright at all. If the sky is dark enough, you might be able to see the constellation in which Polaris is found, Ursa Minor, or the Lessor Bear. Ursa Minor is home to the asterism the Little Dipper. Polaris is at the end of the Little Dipper's handle, which arcs toward a small cup made up of four stars. On the opposite side of Polaris from the Dippers look for a squished "W," which is the constellation Cassiopeia. If you learn to recognize these three constellations around Polaris, you should be able to find that star no matter where you go in the Northern Hemisphere.