Starwatch: Polaris – centre point of the northern sky

How to find the pole star, not the brightest star in the sky, but the closest to the pole - for now

This week, take the opportunity to identify Polaris, the north star. From many northern latitudes, the constellation of Ursa Major, the Great Bear, never sets and it can act as a pointer. The brightest, most recognisable part of that constellation, is the asterism known as the Plough. Finding the two stars that mark the end of the Plough allows a line to be drawn upwards to Polaris, which is the brightest star in Ursa Minor, the little bear. It lies around 400 light years away.