latitude of the observer
Polaris, also known as the North Star, is located almost directly above the North Pole, making it not visible from the Southern Hemisphere. Its altitude, or angular height above the horizon, corresponds to the observer's latitude in the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, in the Southern Hemisphere, Polaris has an altitude of 0 degrees, meaning it is always below the horizon.
As you move north in the northern hemisphere, the altitude of Polaris, also known as the North Star, increases. Polaris is situated almost directly above the North Pole, so its altitude corresponds closely to your latitude. At the North Pole, Polaris is at the zenith (90 degrees), while at the equator, it is on the horizon (0 degrees). Therefore, as you travel northward, you will see Polaris rising higher in the sky.
The altitude of the horizon is 0 degrees. This is because the horizon is considered to be at eye level, so it is equivalent to the observer's horizontal line of sight.
43 degrees
Actually, altitude is the height of an object above a specific reference point, usually the observer's horizon. It is measured in degrees, with 0 degrees being right on the horizon and 90 degrees directly overhead.
The altitude doesn't depend much on whether the night is clear.If you live in the northern hemisphere, the altitude of Polaris above the horizon will APPROXIMATELY be equal to your latitude. If you live in the southern hemisphere, Polaris will be BELOW the horizon, as many degrees as you are south of the equator.
The altitude of Polaris at the equator is 0 degrees. This means that Polaris is directly on the horizon and not visible at all from the equator. Polaris can only be seen in the northern hemisphere at latitudes above 23.5 degrees.
90 degrees
At the Tropic of Capricorn (approximately 23.5 degrees south latitude), Polaris, the North Star, is not visible and is located below the horizon. Polaris can only be seen in the Northern Hemisphere and its altitude above the horizon increases the further north you go.
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.
The sun is below the northern horizon at midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.
As you move south in the Northern Hemisphere, the altitude of Polaris decreases. Polaris, or the North Star, is located almost directly above the North Pole at an altitude of about 90 degrees. As you travel southward, its angle above the horizon diminishes, reaching zero degrees at the equator, where it is no longer visible.
It's about 66.5 degrees above the northern horizon.
Polaris will be 23.5 degrees above the northern horizon when viewed from the Tropic of Cancer.
The altitude of Polaris is approximately 42 degrees above the horizon when observed from a location around 42 degrees latitude in the northern hemisphere. This means that at locations close to the 42nd parallel, such as parts of New York City or southern France, Polaris would have an altitude of around 42 degrees.
The altitude of Polaris and the latitude of an observer are directly related. The altitude of Polaris in the sky is approximately equal to the observer's latitude in the Northern Hemisphere. The higher the latitude, the higher Polaris will appear in the sky.
If an observer in Pennsylvania measures the altitude of Polaris to be 40 degrees, they could be approximately 40 degrees north of the equator, which would imply a latitude close to 40 degrees north. This is because the altitude of Polaris above the horizon is equal to the observer's latitude in the Northern Hemisphere.