A circumpolar star is a star that, due to its position relative to the Earth's celestial poles, never sets below the horizon for observers at certain latitudes. In the Northern Hemisphere, stars like Polaris remain visible all night throughout the year, while in the Southern Hemisphere, stars such as Alpha Centauri can be circumpolar. The exact stars that are circumpolar depend on the observer's latitude; the closer one is to the poles, the more stars can be seen as circumpolar.
Polaris, also known as the North Star, is a well-known example of a circumpolar star. It remains stationary in the sky as other stars appear to rotate around it, making it useful for navigation or for finding the direction of true north.
The Big Dipper is not a star, but an asterism made up of seven bright stars that are part of the constellation Ursa Major. The stars in the Big Dipper range in magnitude from about 1.8 to 3.3.
This is because in many places in the northern hemisphere the Big Dipper never sets, it just goes round and round the Pole Star. Anywhere north of about 40 degrees north, none of the stars in the Big Dipper ever sets. The Big Dipper is not an official constellation, it is only part of Ursa Major.
The Big Dipper is a collection of individual stars that appear to form a pattern in the sky because of their positions. The individual stars have no connection or association with each other. Each one has its own individual color, temperature, size, and distance from our solar system.
They are always visible in the sky. (Unless it's cloudy). They don't "rise" and "set" at the latitudes where they are circumpolar.
Standing on the equator, you would not see any circumpolar stars. Circumpolar stars are those that never dip below the horizon, and they can only be seen from latitudes above a certain threshold, typically around 25 degrees (North or South) or higher. The closer you are to the poles, the more circumpolar stars you can see.
To calculate the range of declinations for which stars are circumpolar, you need to know the observer's latitude. Circumpolar stars are those that never set below the horizon. For a given latitude ( \phi ), the declination (( \delta )) of circumpolar stars ranges from ( +90^\circ - \phi ) to ( -90^\circ + \phi ). Thus, if you are at a latitude of, say, 40°N, circumpolar stars would have declinations between ( +50^\circ ) and ( -50^\circ ).
Stars near the north celestial pole and the south celestial pole become "circumpolar" at high latitudes. They "circle around the pole". For example, the star Polaris never sets anywhere in the northern hemisphere. Constellations like the Big Dipper, Draco or Cassiopeia are "circumpolar" north of about 30 degrees north latitude. While there is no "south pole star", a constellation such as the Southern Cross is circumpolar south of about 40 degrees South.
At the equator, you will see no circumpolar stars.
Circumpolar constellations are those that never set below the horizon. The further north (or south) one travels, the more constellations are circumpolar. Where I live, above the 45th parallel, most of the Big Dipper stars are circumpolar, but Arcturus is not, and the constellation of Orion sets below the horizon in the summer. Equatorial constellations are those that pass directly overhead when one is between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. I believe these are primarily the 13 constellations of the zodiac.
Polaris, also known as the North Star, is a well-known example of a circumpolar star. It remains stationary in the sky as other stars appear to rotate around it, making it useful for navigation or for finding the direction of true north.
The Big Dipper is not a star, but an asterism made up of seven bright stars that are part of the constellation Ursa Major. The stars in the Big Dipper range in magnitude from about 1.8 to 3.3.
This is because in many places in the northern hemisphere the Big Dipper never sets, it just goes round and round the Pole Star. Anywhere north of about 40 degrees north, none of the stars in the Big Dipper ever sets. The Big Dipper is not an official constellation, it is only part of Ursa Major.
No they do not. By definition circumpolar stars do not "rise". They are above the observer's horizon at all times.
If you were standing on the North Pole, you would be able to see all the circumpolar stars in the sky. Circumpolar stars are the stars that never set and orbit around the celestial pole. At the North Pole, they would constantly circle around Polaris, the North Star, without dipping below the horizon.
No, the Little Dipper is not visible from New Zealand because it is circumpolar and only visible in the northern hemisphere. However, New Zealand does have its own distinctive star patterns visible in the night sky, such as the Southern Cross.