Hidden in the Little Dipper is a very special star...Polaris, the Pole star. It isn't just a Pole star, it is OUR Pole star!
To find it we just use the BIG DIPPER and it is one of the brightest stars in the handle of the LITTLE DIPPER. Many explorers have used the North Star to guide their way in their travels. Boy and girl Scouts use the North star when camping or hiking at night as a precaution to help them not get lost.
This North star just happens to line up with our imaginary axis of rotation that points to the North.
Photographers love to make star trails using the North Star because it shows us the point at which we rotate. Polaris stays in the same place all night long as the other stars rotate across the sky.
Watch this satisfying video of star trails made in the Northern Hemisphere compared to the Southern Hemisphere. Can you tell the difference? Can you see the North star, our Pole star?
Hint: The Southern Hemisphere does NOT have a Pole star....
this is so interesting....... I didnt know that the north star points to our axis line
ReplyDeletePolaris is a good name
ReplyDeletethe southern hemisphere doesn't have a pole star???!!! WHAT!!!!????
ReplyDelete*can you see it?* snicker!
I like the one with all the circles.
ReplyDelete