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Polaris
Polaris is Earth's current northern pole star, and thus is commonly referred to as the North Star. Historically, Polaris was used by sailors and navigators to determine their current latitude while crossing oceans. Please place all questions about Polaris, the brightest star in the constellation Ursa Minor, into this category.
543 Questions
What happens to the altitude of polaris as you move due west from Mamaroneck to Chicago?
I have noticed that it does indeed. Polaris is definitely lower on the horizon in Southern California than it is in Northern Washington. By the time one reaches the north pole, the pole star should be directly overhead--day or night.
How does Polaris rule support the shape of the earth?
the degree of polaris on the horizon is your latitude. Shows the curvature of the earth. When the degree of polaris is 1 degree greater, you move the some distance if you move another degree. Shows how everything is equally distant from the center.
Where would polaris be at 41 degrees north latitude?
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 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.
If every star in the sky rose and set except for Polaris, you would be at the North Pole. Polaris, also known as the North Star, is located almost directly above the North Pole, making it appear stationary in the night sky while other stars appear to rotate around it.
The earth's axis of rotation is tilted relative to its orbit around the sun, causing Polaris to align with the earth's axis. When an observer measures the altitude of Polaris above the horizon, they can determine their latitude because Polaris' altitude corresponds to the observer's angular distance from the North Pole.
Polaris is the name of the north pole star. It isn't EXACTLY above the North Pole, but pretty close; only about one-half a degree off. If you were to watch Polaris through the night, you wouldn't notice any movement, but in a long-time-exposure photo, you can see that Polaris makes a TINY circle around the perfect North.
What is the composition of the polaris star?
The Polaris star is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, with trace amounts of other elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen. Its composition is similar to that of other stars in the Milky Way galaxy.
Polaris declination and right ascension on Feb 5th?
On February 5th, Polaris has a declination of approximately +89 degrees 15 minutes and a right ascension of about 2 hours 31 minutes. These values may vary slightly depending on the year and time of observation.
What caused the change of the zodiac signs?
The apparent change in the position of the zodiac signs is caused by a natural phenomenon known as precession.
Every 26,000 years, the Earth's axis traces out an apparent set of circles across the sky (one in each hemisphere). Because of this long-term motion, the pole star appears to shift: currently, the star closest to celestial north is Polaris (in the constellation Ursa Minor), but in the distant past it has been Vega, and in another 1,000 years it will be a star called Gamma Cephei.
This same phenomenon is what has caused the apparent shift in the zodiac. Around 2,000 BCE, ancient astronomers (who were also astrologers; at the time there was no difference) noted that on the vernal equinox -- the first day of spring -- the rising sun appeared in a part of the sky we have since chosen to call Aries.
Now it's 4,000 years later, and the Earth has progressed about 2/13th (15%) of the way around its grand precession; or about 1° every 72 years. This is more than enough time for the background constellations to have appeared to have shifted by one full constellation; so now on the vernal equinox, the sun appears to be in Pisces instead... as it has since around the year 100 BCE.
So this 'revelation' is about 2,100 years overdue. In fact, the vernal equinox has already progressed most of the way through Pisces, and is expected to move into Aquarius around the year 2700. Which means that all those new-age followers who've been claiming we're already living in the 'age of Aquarius' have jumped the gun by a bit: 650 years, give or take.
If you want more information on this completely natural phenomenon, please see the attached links.
If Polaris is 20 degrees from your zenith what is your latitude?
Your latitude is 20 degrees north of the equator because Polaris is located at the celestial north pole, which is directly above the Earth's North Pole. This means that the angle between Polaris and your zenith corresponds to your angular distance north of the equator.
When in the future will Polaris again become the North Star?
Polaris, also known as Alpha Ursae Minoris, will become the North Star again in 27,800 AD. The cycle takes about 25,770 years to complete. Polaris is the current North Star. Polaris replaced Thuban around the first millennium BC. It will become closest to the celestial north pole around the year 2100 and start moving farther away. Gamma Cephei, also known as Airai, will replace Polaris around 3000, followed by Iota Cephei in 5200. Polaris will again become the Pole star in 27.800 after it finishes the 25,770 year cycle.
What is the absolute magnitude of POLARIS?
The absolute magnitude of Polaris is about -3.64. This value represents the intrinsic brightness of the star if it were observed from a standard distance of 32.6 light-years.
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.
It was explained by the geocentric model, for thousands of years, in a way that
was easy to understand, intuitively satisfying, and matched observation perfectly:
The stars are points of light, glued to the inside of a giant solid bowl, which rotates
around the earth once a day.
Only a few objects in the sky are not glued to the same bowl: The sun, moon, and planets.
At which location is the altitude of Polaris approximately 42?
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.
What is closer to earth polaris or the moon?
The Moon is closer to Earth than Polaris. The Moon is our planet's natural satellite, orbiting at an average distance of about 384,400 km, while Polaris is a star located about 433 light-years away from Earth, making it much farther.
Determine the distance between Polaris and Earth in meters?
The distance between Polaris (North Star) and Earth is approximately 433 light-years, which is about 4.086 × 10^18 meters. This distance is constantly changing due to the movement of both Earth and the star.
Polaris, also known as the North Star, is located in our Milky Way galaxy. It is a prominent star in the constellation Ursa Minor and is widely recognized for its position near the celestial north pole, making it a useful navigational aid.
As with a lot of astronomical objects, defining their age is just not possible.
Because of it's type, it could be about 4 billion years old, and has about another 2 billion years left, but these are just guesses based on it's spectral type.
Is Polaris almost at plus 90 degrees?
Yes, Polaris is very close to being at the celestial pole, which is approximately plus 90 degrees declination in the sky. It is used as a navigational aid for celestial navigation and is a good guide for finding true north in the Northern Hemisphere.
Hattiesburg mississippi lies about 31 degrees north where is polaris at 9pm on January 1st?
Polaris is within 1/2 of one degree of the North Celestial Pole. If Hattiesburg, MS is at 31 degrees north, then the elevation of Polaris is about 59 degrees - ALL the time.
Within 1/2 degree, at any rate.
At which New york state location is the altitude of polaris closest to forty five degrees?
Just north of Massena, NY, there is a park called St. Lawrence State Park. Barnhart Island is part of that park. If you cross onto Barnhard Island and head for the beach, the south end of the parking lot is exactly at 45 degrees north.
The question, however, is where is the altitude of the star Polaris closest to 45 degrees. Polaris is not PRECISELY above the North Pole; it is actually about 0.6 degrees away. So depending on the time of day, Polaris could be a 45 degrees elevation anywhere within about 30 miles of the New York/Canada border.
