When you look up in the night sky and find your way to the North Star, you are looking at Polaris. Not only is it the brightest star in the Ursa Minor constellation (the Little Dipper), but its ...

Polaris is actually still drawing closer to the pole and on March 24, 2100, it will be as close to it as it ever will come, just 27.15 arc-minutes or slightly less than the moon's apparent diameter.

The star, more formally called Polaris or α Ursae Minoris, is located in the constellation Ursa Minor, sitting almost directly above Earth's North Pole in the sky, making it ideal for orientation.

Ursa Minor boasts a pan-like outline featuring a 'bowl' and 'handle', with Polaris is located at the end of the handle, while Kochab and Pherkad form the outer edge of the 'bowl'.

Polaris is not at the exact polar point, but it lies within 1.5 degrees of it. This means Polaris actually circles around the North Celestial Pole once a day, but this motion is too small to be seen.

Ursa Minor (little bear). The Big Dipper and Polaris so dominate the night sky that they inspired a seventh-grade student to base his design of his state flag on them.

Since Polaris shines directly above the North Pole, it’s an important star in our heavens. That’s because all of the other stars in our sky, including the sun and moon, appear to revolve ...

Draco, which winds almost halfway around Polaris, represents the dragon which Hercules killed as one of his 12 labors. The constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor (Big and Little Dippers) (GETTY ...