At 40 degrees latitude, Polaris, also known as the North Star, will appear approximately 40 degrees above the northern horizon. This is because the angle of Polaris above the horizon corresponds closely to the observer's latitude in the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, if you are at 40 degrees north latitude, Polaris will be positioned directly overhead at the North Pole and will gradually lower to the horizon as you move south, reaching 0 degrees at the equator.
The angle of Polaris above the northern horizon is very nearly equal to your north latitude, within about 1/3 of a degree. So it's over your head when you stand at the north pole, it sits nominally on your north horizon when you stand anywhere on the equator, and if you're south of the equator, you can never see it at all.
Your latitude!
In the Northern Hemisphere, the angle of Polaris above the horizon corresponds directly to the latitude of the location. Specifically, at the North Pole (90°N), Polaris is directly overhead at an angle of 90 degrees, while at the equator (0° latitude), Polaris is on the horizon at 0 degrees. Thus, as one moves northward, the angle of Polaris increases, reflecting the increase in latitude.
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 the altitude of Polaris is 43 degrees above the northern horizon, then the observer is located somewhere within roughly 1/2 degree of 43 degrees north latitude.
The altitude of Polaris, or its angle above the horizon, can be approximated by the observer's latitude. Virginia is situated between approximately 36 and 39 degrees north latitude, so Polaris would be about 36 to 39 degrees above the northern horizon when viewed from the state. This means that the further north you are in Virginia, the higher Polaris will appear in the sky.
The North star will be 75 degrees above the horizon. Whatever degree you are at latitude, the North star will be the same degrees up. So at the north pole (90 degrees north), the star will be at the zenith (straight up). While at the equator (0 degrees north) the star will be at the horizon.
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.
Polaris would be 41 degrees above the northern horizon at 41 degrees north latitude. This means it would be directly overhead, aligned with the North Celestial Pole. Polaris is often used as a reference point for navigation and stargazing due to its close alignment with the Earth's axis.
The North Star (Polaris) appears closest to the horizon at the Earth's equator (0° latitude) because as you move away from the equator towards the poles, the angle of Polaris above the horizon increases. At the North Pole (90° latitude), Polaris is directly overhead.
whatever latitude you are at, that is the angle to polaris.. and the other way around
Polaris will be 23.5 degrees above the northern horizon when viewed from the Tropic of Cancer.