Polaris always sits within about 1/2 degree from the point in the sky that's the same
angle above the northern horizon as your latitude.
For example, if you're standing at the north pole, the point is directly over your head,
and if you're anywhere on the equator, the point is on the horizon directly north of you.
You are somewhere on Earth at the latitude of roughly 20 degrees north.
For example, you could be in northern Chad or Sudan, southern Saudi Arabia,
Bhubaneswar in India, northern Thailand, Laos, or Vietnam, Haikou in China, on
the big Island of Hawaii, in Pachuca or Campeche in Mexico, or Guantanamo Bay
in Cuba.
Polaris owes most of its fame and usefulness to its position about 0.6 degrees away from being directly above the North Pole of the Earth. Polaris is actually a fairly dim star; it is the faintest of the 59 standard navigational stars.
If you look straight up, and see Polaris (the north star), directly above you, this means you're standing at the north pole. At night. It also means it is probably a bit cold out.
In the tropics, not far north of the equator. If you were AT the equator, you wouldn't be able to see Polaris.
No! The only place in which Polaris is ever at its zenith is about half a degree off the north pole. The further north you go, the higher Polaris will be.
90 degrees North
TRUE
The angle of Polaris above the northern horizon increases.
180° north longitude
If you are right at the Equator, you will not be able to see Polaris. If you could, it would be right on the horizon, but ground haze and obstructions would almost certainly hide it from view.
The sun can never be directly overhead anywhere in New York state ... or anywhere in the USA for that matter. The highest it can ever appear is at noon on June 21. But in order to ever see it directly overhead, you have to be located within 23.5 degrees of the equator.
Equator
The angle of Polaris above the northern horizon increases.
No, Polaris would not be overhead if you were at the South Pole. The North Star -- Polaris -- is not visible from the Southern Hemisphere.
180° north longitude
Polaris is only directly overheat if you are at the north pole.
The angle of the altitude of Polaris is equal to the observer's latitude. However, this is only true if you are in the Northern Hemisphere. For example, at the North Pole it is directly overhead and at the equator it is on the horizon and at 45 degrees North it is 45 degrees above you.
No. It just becomes higher in the sky. If you were to stand at the North Pole,the 'North Star' (Polaris) would appear almost directly overhead.
If you are right at the Equator, you will not be able to see Polaris. If you could, it would be right on the horizon, but ground haze and obstructions would almost certainly hide it from view.
It gets closer to overhead.
Not always. The sun is directly overhead at the equator at the spring and fall equinoxes.
Polaris is named because of it's position directly above the north pole.
Zenith.
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.