Astronaut Questions

The North Star, also known as Polaris, appears to be stationary in the night sky while all the other stars seem to rotate around it. But why is this? The answer has to do with the Earth’s tilt. Polaris sits almost exactly at the North Celestial Pole, which is the point in the sky directly above the North Pole on Earth. Because of this, it remains in almost the same spot in the sky throughout the year. As the Earth orbits around the sun and tilts on its axis, different stars become visible in the night sky, but Polaris remains constant. In reality, of course, the North Star is not actually stuck in place. Like all stars, it is in constant motion, but from our perspective here on Earth, it will continue to appear stationary for many years to come. So, next time you’re looking up at the stars, take a moment to find Polaris and appreciate its steadfastness.