Polaris
Discover amazing facts about Polaris, the North Star that has guided travelers and explorers for thousands of years
Polaris sits almost directly above Earth's North Pole, making it perfect for navigation
Polaris, also known as the North Star, is the most famous navigation star in human history! For thousands of years, sailors, explorers, and travelers have used Polaris to find their way because it sits almost directly above Earth's North Pole. While all the other stars appear to move across the sky throughout the night, Polaris stays in almost exactly the same spot, making it incredibly reliable for navigation.
What makes Polaris special isn't that it's particularly bright - it's only the 48th brightest star in our sky. Instead, its importance comes from its perfect location. As Earth spins on its axis, Polaris appears stationary while all other stars rotate around it. This happens because Polaris is located almost exactly in line with Earth's rotational axis. Polaris is actually a yellow supergiant star about 433 light-years away and is part of a triple star system with two companion stars.
