Become an expert stargazer—in one week
National Geographic's Wonder Lessons will teach you how to navigate the stars, spot cloud types, recognize common trees, and identify different kinds of rocks. Today, we're learning how to find the North Star.
Yesterday you learned how to find the Big Dipper. Tonight let’s find one of the most important stars in our northern sky: Polaris, also known as the North Star.
Polaris lies in the direction of true geographic north, roughly above Earth’s North Pole, and it stays close to the same spot all year.
Look for this star in the northern sky.
While Polaris isn’t the brightest star in the sky, it is visible to the naked eye, even in light-polluted cities. And Polaris is invaluable because it serves as a natural compass. See if you can find Polaris on our map below.
Want to experience more wonder? National Geographic's Wonder List features playful prompts and activities that turn everyday moments into wonder-filled discoveries—for families, anywhere, every day.
Sources: Tycho Catalog Skymap, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio
