Transcript Finding the North Star

Finding the North Star
Have you heard of the North Star?
The North Star is
located almost directly
over the Earth’s
geographic north pole.
The North Star…
…is known to astronomers as “Polaris” because
of its place over the North Pole.
…is really useful if you are in the Earth’s
northern hemisphere, and you are lost in
the wilderness on a clear night.
How can the North Star help me
if I’m lost?
The North Star
tells you which
direction is North.
If you know which
way is North, you
can figure out the
other directions.
What is the name of the North
Star?
Arcturus
Polaris
Deneb
What is important about the
North Star?
It’s always in the North.
It’s always right over your head.
It’s always in the East.
So…how do I use the North Star
to find my way?
Let’s say you are lost in a forest at night. You
know that there is a road to the South East, but
you don’t have a compass, so you don’t know
which direction is South East.
?
You are
here
Road is here
somewhere
You keep the North Star to your left and a
little behind you as you walk, which means
you are walking South East. Eventually, you
will find the road.
N
N
E
W
S
SE
You know you must walk West. You see the
North Star. Draw a line to show which
way you would walk.
North Star
is here
?
N
You have to walk South. You see the North
Star. Which way do you walk, relative to
the North Star?
Walk toward the North Star
Walk away from the North Star
Keep the North Star at your left shoulder
Keep the North Star at your right shoulder
How do I find the North Star?
There are a few steps
you have to follow.
First, you find this
constellation, or group
of stars, called “Ursa
Major,” the Greater
Bear. You will see only
the stars; you have to
use your imagination to
see the bear.
How do I find the North Star?
Ursa Major is easy to find, because in the
middle of it are seven really bright stars.
Some people call these seven stars the “Big
Dipper,” others call them “Charles’s Wain” or
“The Plough.”
Different cultures
have other names
for these stars.
How do I find the North Star?
Take a look at the two stars that are opposite
the “handle” of the Big Dipper. These stars are
the pointer stars.
Pointer stars
The pointer stars point to the
North Star, Polaris. North
In the direction of the arrows, at
about five times the distance
between the pointer stars, you
will find the North Star.
Star
Imagine that the
arrows point the
same way water
would flow from
the bowl of the
dipper.
How do you use the Big Dipper to
find the North Star?
Follow the handle
Follow the stars across
the bowl from the
handle
Polaris is on the end of the
handle of the Little Dipper, also
known as Ursa Minor, the Lesser
Bear.
North Star
The stars in Ursa Minor
—including the North
Star—are much dimmer
than the stars in the Big
Dipper. So you need to
know where to look.
That’s why you have to
use the Big Dipper.
Together, the Big Dipper and Little
Dipper look a bit like this:
At different times of the year,
they may be oriented differently.
June
Big Dipper
October
Little Dipper
Little Dipper
They always keep the
same position relative to
each other, however.
Big Dipper
Mark where you would look for the
North Star.
Circle Polaris, the North Star.
Circle the pointer stars, and draw an
arrow to show which way they point.
Is the North Star as bright as the
stars in the Big Dipper?
Yes
No