Polaris

Polaris is called the North Star. It sits almost directly above the North Pole. Because of this, it seems to stay still while other stars move around it. People have used Polaris to find their way for thousands of years. If you can find Polaris, you know which way is north.

The Sky's Steady Star

Earth spins on an invisible line called its axis. The North Pole points almost right at Polaris. That is why this star does not seem to move. All other stars make circles in the night sky. Polaris stays right where it is.

A sharp Hubble telescope photo of Polaris, the bright North Star.
A sharp Hubble telescope photo of Polaris, the bright North Star. (NASA/HST / Wikimedia Commons)

Finding Polaris

Polaris is not the brightest star in the sky. But it is easy to find using the Big Dipper. Look at the two stars at the end of the Big Dipper's bowl. Follow a line from them up into the sky. The next bright star you see is Polaris.

Fun Facts

  • Polaris is part of the Little Dipper constellation.
  • Polaris is actually three stars that orbit each other.
  • The North Star will slowly change as Earth wobbles over thousands of years.

Did You Know?

Polaris is about 430 light years from Earth, so the light you see left it hundreds of years ago.