Probably, there is no such person who would not like to look at the starry sky. It has long been attracting the attention of poets, philosophers and artists. Most people like to look at the stars and dream. But they seem too mysterious, and rarely can anyone see the order in their arrangement. But for travelers of antiquity, stars were the only means of orientation in the dark.
In the Northern Hemisphere there is one landmark that many times rescued the lost. This is the North Star. It can be seen from anywhere, and it is always in one place. In order not to get lost, you just need to know how to find the North Star in the starry sky.
She is not among the twenty brightest, but her light has always been a beacon for people. And it seems that all the stars rotate around her. She really is an axis. During the rotation of the Earth, its position is always unchanged and shows the direction to the north. After all, she is closest to the north pole of the world. The location of stars in the sky has not changed for many millennia, but due to the displacement of the earth's axis a thousand years ago, there was another North Star.
What constellation is it in?
This name is not the name of any particular star, but only the role that the luminary fulfills, pointing to the north. In the modern era, the role of the North Star is played by Alpha from Ursa Minor, which is located just one degree from the north pole of the world. In this constellation, it is the brightest. Ursa Minor consists of 29 stars, only seven of which are bright enough to be clearly visible. They make up a figure called a small bucket. At the end of his hand and is the North Star.
This constellation is not the largest and ranks 56th largest. But it is known not only because it is a mirror image of Ursa Major, but also because it is now located in it the North Star. Only thanks to her, they find the constellation Ursa Minor. But for this, of course, you need to know how to find the North Star in the starry sky.
Star feature
It refers to variable stars, and it is also called Cepheid. The period of its pulsation is more than four days, and in the current period it is in a state of relative calm. Astronomers have determined that its brightness is growing, and to modern people it shines much stronger than thousands of years ago. Therefore, it’s now much easier to find out how to find the North Star in the sky. But it is believed that it refers to decaying and very old in age.
This luminary belongs to the class of supergiants. It is 23 times larger than the Sun in size and 4 times its mass. And brighter than our luminary 2500 times. This is a double star, but this can only be determined with the help of a super-powerful telescope. Therefore, the second could only be seen in the 30s of the 20th century. And in 2006, the Hubble telescope determined that it was a triple system.
The color of the star is a little yellowish, and it is a little hotter than the Sun. At what distance it is located from the Earth, they still can not accurately determine. It is believed to be 434 light years.
North Star role
It can be used to determine the cardinal points. If you are facing her, then the south will be back. Focusing on the North Star, one can also determine the geographical latitude with an accuracy of one degree. To do this, you need a protractor, which must be pointed at the star, and a plumb line, which should be fixed in the center of its base. Subtract 90 degrees from the obtained angle and get the value of geographical latitude. The north you are, the higher the desired point will be above the horizon, and the more other luminaries you will see around it. If you know how to find the North Star in the starry sky, you can always determine your location.
North Star History
The immobility of this luminary at all times attracted the attention of representatives of all peoples. The ancient Arabs considered it a hole in the sky, and a legend was connected with it, describing it as a giant coffin, in which lies a warrior of heaven. The Greeks called her Kinosoura, which means "tail of the dog." And in India there is a beautiful legend that God made the star of a little boy whom no one could distract from prayer. The names of stars and constellations have developed in ancient times, and many myths explain their origin.
How to Find a North Star in the Starry Sky
If you know this, then never get lost. After all, it is visible in the Northern Hemisphere all night and at any time of the year and always points to the north. To find the North Star, first search for the constellation Ursa Major. Seven bright stars make up a shape similar to a bucket. If you mentally draw a line through the wall of this bucket, then at a distance five times the length of this wall, you will see the North Star.
If suddenly Ursa Major is not visible, which is rare, you can use the constellation Cassiopeia, which is similar to the letter "M". If you connect its three bright stars and draw a perpendicular from the middle of this line, then at a distance four times greater than the width of the constellation, you will see the Polar Star.