Stars near the North Pole of the Heavens 191 



FIG. 125. The Great Dipper. The two stars farthest from the end / 

 of the handle point to the North Star. 



of these farthest from the handle are called the Pointers, 

 because they point to the North Star. The Bear's nose 

 is as far in front of the Pointers as the bend in his tail 

 is behind them. 



Finding the North Star. A line through the Pointers 

 of the Great Dipper and directed away from the 

 bottom of the bowl passes very near the North Star, 

 which is also called Polaris, or polestar. It is of about 

 the same brightness as the stars in the Dipper. Some 

 persons are surprised when the North Star is first pointed 

 out to them, to find that it is so high above the horizon. 

 Its altitude depends on the latitude of the observer. 

 If you are in Maine or Minnesota, about 45 degrees north 

 of the equator, the North Star appears halfway up from 

 the horizon to the zenith. If you are in the latitude of 

 Tennessee, then the altitude of the North Star is only 

 about 36 degrees. Knowing the latitude of your home 

 and the directions, you could find the North Star by 

 looking north and up from the horizon the same number 

 of degrees as your latitude. When away from home 

 you can, by the aid of the Pointers, find the North Star 



