Polaris
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Polaris is a yellow supergiant star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris and is commonly called the North Star. With an apparent magnitude that flu
Polaris components as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope
A typical star trail photograph taken in the Northern Hemisphere, with Polaris in the center
Polaris azimuths vis clock face analogy.
Artist's conception showing supergiant Polaris Aa, dwarf Polaris Ab, and the distant dwarf companion Polaris B
Big Dipper
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The Big Dipper or the Plough is an asterism consisting of seven bright stars of the constellation Ursa Major; six of them are of second magnitude and one, Megrez, of third magnitude. Four define a "bo
Polaris
…eastward or westward, and the bearing must be corrected using tables or a rule of thumb. The best approximation is made using the leading edge of the "Big Dipper" asterism in the constellation Ursa Major. The leading edge (defined by the stars Dubhe and Merak) is referenced to a clock face, and the true azimuth…
An 1820s plough
The Big Dipper seen from Fujian
The Hall of the Big Dipper in a Taoist temple, Wuhan
The Big Dipper's bowl and part of the handle photographed from the International Space Station. Mizar and Alcor are at the upper right.