Guidance of the Stars - Polaris - UWO
1Uncharted Waters Online
Polaris, designated α Ursae Minoris (Alpha Ursae Minoris, abbreviated Alpha UMi, α UMi), commonly the North Star or Pole Star, is the brightest star in the constellation of Ursa Minor. It is very close to the north celestial pole, making it the current northern pole star. The revised Hipparcos parallax gives a distance to Polaris of about 433 light-years (133 parsecs), while calculations by other methods derive distances around 30% closer.
Polaris is a triple star system, composed of the primary star, Polaris Aa (a yellow supergiant), in orbit with a smaller companion (Polaris Ab); the pair in orbit with Polaris B (discovered in August 1779 by William Herschel). There were once thought to be two more distant components—Polaris C and Polaris D—but these have been shown not to be physically associated with the Polaris system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polaris
Locate Polaris. Use either of the pointer star methods to help you.
Determine the angle in degrees between Polaris' position and the northern horizon. The most accurate way to do this is with a quadrant or sextant, which lets you read the angle off its curved section.
https://www.wikihow.com/Navigate-by-the-Stars
Before the GPS, before the compass, your main means of finding your way was to navigate by the stars. Although today’s technology makes finding your way easier, it’s still fun to learn how to navigate by the stars. You can find north, south, east, or west by learning a few stars and constellations, or you can simply pick out a star and follow its movements.
#unchartedwatersonline #astronomy #navigation #sailing #ageofsail
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