37 degrees north 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 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.
The observer must be 15.5 degrees south of the Arctic circle, so 51.1 degrees north approximately.
The altitude of the North Celestial Pole above the northern horizon is equal to the observer's latitude. This means that the higher the observer's latitude, the higher the North Celestial Pole will appear in the sky. For example, an observer at a latitude of 45 degrees will see the North Celestial Pole 45 degrees above the northern horizon.
On the Tropic of Capricorn the Sun is overhead at the summer solstice and 47 degrees off the vertical, or 43 degrees above the horizon, at the winter solstice. So the observer here must be 7 degrees further north than the tropic of capricorn: the latitude is 16.4 degrees south.
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 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.
latitude of the observer
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.
For an observer at latitude 35 degrees, the highest the sun can ever be in his sky is roughly 31.5 degrees above the horizon.
The observer must be 15.5 degrees south of the Arctic circle, so 51.1 degrees north approximately.
The altitude of the North Celestial Pole above the northern horizon is equal to the observer's latitude. This means that the higher the observer's latitude, the higher the North Celestial Pole will appear in the sky. For example, an observer at a latitude of 45 degrees will see the North Celestial Pole 45 degrees above the northern horizon.
The altitude of Polaris, or the North Star, can be roughly estimated as equal to the latitude of the observer. Mamaroneck, New York, is situated at approximately 40.95° N latitude. Therefore, the altitude of Polaris from Mamaroneck would be about 40.95 degrees above the northern horizon.
At the Equator.
The altitude of Polaris, or the North Star, as seen from Manila, Philippines, is approximately 13.4 degrees above the northern horizon. This is because Polaris is located nearly directly above the North Pole, and its altitude corresponds to the observer's latitude. Manila is situated at a latitude of about 14.6 degrees North, which results in this relatively low angle.
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.
On the Tropic of Capricorn the Sun is overhead at the summer solstice and 47 degrees off the vertical, or 43 degrees above the horizon, at the winter solstice. So the observer here must be 7 degrees further north than the tropic of capricorn: the latitude is 16.4 degrees south.