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Most of the time, Polaris is used by navigators to determine the true heading of the craft (either an airplane or a ship). Polaris is called the "North Star" or "Pole Star" because the earth's axis, South Pole to North Pole, points toward it. So, it seems like it is directly above the North Pole, but is about 3/4 of a degree off. Using celestial data tables, Navigators determine what the angular difference is between true north and Polaris. Using a sextant mounted in a flat circular ring fixed on the centerline of the craft, they measure the angle from the center-line of the craft to Polaris (adjusted for the angular difference between true north and Polaris), and so can determine the direction the craft is heading.
Polaris is not a very bright star, but is can be used as a navigational star. High cirrus clouds or even the light from the moon can make seeing Polaris difficult. So, generally it is not used because of the availability of brighter navigational stars.
In relatively calm seas and air, celestial navigation can be accurate within a few miles and was critical to accurate navigation of craft across the oceans until the late 20th Century when global positioning satellite systems and onboard computer sytems became widely available. Now, these computer systems (when operating) are accurate within a few feet. But, when those systems go down, that old sextant will still work.
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The north star polaris can be used for navigation in earth's northern hemisphere?
Hi you live in nyc, you go to lab
What direction does the Earth's axis always point in?
Currently, the north end of the Earth's rotation axis points toward a point in the skythat happens to be only about 1/3 of a degree from a relatively bright star. The resultis that the star seems to never move, and is called "The North Star".
Can you see northern hemisphere stars from southern hemisphere?
Yes. The stars are the same in both hemispheres. Remember that people used to sail around the world just by looking at the stars. That is because the stars are the same.
What does lodestar mean?
A lodestar is a star which is used to navigate by e.g. the Polaris star.
Which star can be used to work out where due north is?
The North Star or Polaris in the constellation of Ursa Minor
How did stars help us find are way north to south?
In the northern hemisphere, we used to rely on locating where Polaris is in the sky, which is almost directly over the North Pole. The angle of Polaris above the horizon corresponds to your latitude so Polaris helped many sea navigators to find their was north or south.
What northern star can be used to find your latitude in the Northern hemisphere?
Polaris can be used to determine latitude in the northern hemisphere as it is directly overhead from the north geographic pole. The sun can be used for the same purpose if proper tables are available.
The north star polaris can be used for navigation in earth's northern hemisphere?
Hi you live in nyc, you go to lab
Why is polaris being used as a guide in telling direction during ancient times?
Polaris, or the North Star, was one of the brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere and has a relatively stable close polar orbit. As such, it always points north and is thus a reliable guide at night.
What was the north Star to?
Polaris, the North Star, has been used for navigation in the northern hemisphere for centuries. It is reasonably static, while the Earth's rotation makes all the other stars appear to circle round it.
Why must sundials being used in the northern hemisphere be reversed in the southern hemisphere?
During northern hemisphere summer the sun is in the northern sky in the southern hemisphere. Our sun in the northern hemisphere is almost always in the southern sky unless your south of the tropic of cancer so this is why you have to reverse the sundials if you move to the southern hemisphere.
How did they find stars useful in the past?
They used them to navigate (for instance, the Southern Cross in the Southern Hemisphere or the Northern Star in the Northern Hemisphere) or to build their farming and religious calendars.
What does polaris point to?
Polaris, also known as the North Star or Pole Star, is a prominent star in the night sky that appears almost stationary as viewed from the Earth's Northern Hemisphere. It is located very close to the celestial North Pole, which is the point in the sky directly above the Earth's geographic North Pole. Because of its proximity to the celestial North Pole, Polaris serves as a useful navigational tool. If you were to extend a line from the Earth's North Pole into the sky, it would point very close to Polaris. This makes Polaris an important reference point for navigation and orientation, especially for travelers and navigators in the Northern Hemisphere. For centuries, sailors, explorers, and travelers have used Polaris to help them determine their northward direction. Its relatively fixed position in the sky makes it a reliable guide for finding the direction of true north, which is important for navigation with a compass or even basic orientation when observing the night sky.
Why are most of the Olympics games held in the northern hemisphere?
Two reasons. Firstly holding the olympic games is expensive, and only rich countries can afford to, and most of the world's rich countries are in the Northern Hemisphere. Secondly, the northern hemisphere seasons are the opposite to the southern hemisphere's. Since athletes from the most influential countries in the world - Europe, most of Asia, and North America - train in the northern hemisphere, they are used to northern hemisphere seasons. Holding the games in the southern hemisphere makes these athletes' training regimes more difficult.
How navigators and sailors used magnetic compass in preparing root?
how navigators and sailors
What is used by navigators to plot great circle routes?
Navigators use a Mercator projection chart to plot great circle routes. This chart allows them to draw a straight line, which represents the shortest distance between two points on a curved surface such as the Earth. By following this route, ships and planes can save time and fuel compared to following a rhumb line route.
How do you use the word hemisphere in a sentence?
Hemisphere means half of a sphere. It's often used to refer to the earth. Here are some sentences.The northern hemisphere is toward the sun during this time of year.The right hemisphere of his brain has been damaged.We studied the northern and southern hemispheres of the earth in geology.
