The single point of light that we see as Polaris is a triple star system, or three stars orbiting a common center of mass. The primary star, Polaris A, is a supergiant with about six times the mass of our sun. A close companion, Polaris Ab, orbits 2 billion miles from Polaris. You are unlikely to ever see this star, because it is too close to Polaris. In fact, the ancient Egyptians in the Old Kingdom saw the star Thuban in the constellation Draco as their North Star, instead of Polaris. Around 400 BCE, at the time of Plato, Kochab was the North Star. Polaris seems to have been first charted by astronomer Claudius Ptolemy in 169 CE. At present, Polaris is the star nearest to the North Pole, though it was farther from it during Shakespeare’s time.

Alpha Ursae Minoris (the modern Polaris) will finally return to its place by the year 25,800. North Star Navigation Where is north?The North Star is a common theme in different works of art, tattoos, and jewelry design. It continues to be a symbol of inspiration, hope, guidance, and of finding your purpose and passion. In Brief a b c d Fadeyev, Y. A. (2015). "Evolutionary status of Polaris". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 449 (1): 1011–1017. arXiv: 1502.06463. Bibcode: 2015MNRAS.449.1011F. doi: 10.1093/mnras/stv412. S2CID 118517157. The “North Star” is the rank rather than the name of a particular star. It describes the closest star to the Earth’s North celestial pole. The North celestial pole, in its turn, is one of the two points in the sky where the Earth’s axis of rotation intersects the celestial sphere. Thus, the North Star is a star sitting closest to the Earth’s rotational axis. Nowadays, Alpha Ursae Minoris is the star that fits the definition. What is the North Star called?

For a leader of any dictatorship to be successful, I believe he must ensure that his people are isolated from any outside influences - which happens to describe the State of North Korea perfectly. Brims with marvellous characters and delivers heart-in-your-throat action. Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author a b Wielen, R.; Jahreiß, H.; Dettbarn, C.; Lenhardt, H.; Schwan, H. (2000). "Polaris: Astrometric orbit, position, and proper motion". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 360: 399–410 [400–402, 406]. arXiv: astro-ph/0002406. Bibcode: 2000A&A...360..399W. Thank you to Crown Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

How to Find the North Star

Star of the North is one to look out for when it’s published in early May. Original, cleverly plotted and easy to read. After a brilliant set up it’s action all the way to the finish. As the strands of the story come together the plot reaches a nail biting and powerful conclusion.” - Nudge-Book.com, http://nudge-book.com/blog/2018/02/star-of-the-north-by-d-b-john/ Learn how to identify the most famous stars: Polaris, Sirius, Arcturus, and many others. Familiarize yourself with the night sky using this infographic! See Infographic Is the North Star part of the Big Dipper?

Neilson, H. R. (2014). "Revisiting the fundamental properties of the Cepheid Polaris using detailed stellar evolution models". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 563: A48. arXiv: 1402.1177. Bibcode: 2014A&A...563A..48N. doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/201423482. S2CID 119252434.Polaris hasn’t always been the North Star and won’t remain the North Star forever. For example, a famous star called Thuban, in the constellation Draco the Dragon, was the North Star when the Egyptians built the pyramids. a b Usenko, I. A.; Miroshnichenko, A. S.; Klochkova, V. G.; Yushkin, M. V. (2005). "Polaris, the nearest Cepheid in the Galaxy: Atmosphere parameters, reddening and chemical composition". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 362 (4): 1219. Bibcode: 2005MNRAS.362.1219U. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2005.09353.x. You can use the North Star to find out how far away north from the Equator you are right now, which is your current latitude. It was essential for navigation in the sea or deserts in the past, but even now, it may be fun to learn. As Jenna begins a desperate and dangerous search, John interweaves parallel tales of an ordinary North Korean citizen and the country’s disgraced elite as the webs of deception grow ever-tighter.

We have three Guest Feature articles in this issue. Elisabeth Cherland’s “Finding and Re-Finding Our Vocare” is a must-read. Next is a moving message from Luke Warren, Choir Director at Hastings High School, printed with permission from a message he shared from the stage during a recent concert. And don’t miss a wonderful interview by Peter Durow with Ēriks Ešenvalds from this past summer’s Latvian Song and Dance Festival. The ancient name of the constellation Ursa Minor, Cynosura (from the Greek κυνόσουρα "the dog's tail"), [47] became associated with the pole star in particular by the early modern period. An explicit identification of Mary as stella maris with the polar star ( Stella Polaris), as well as the use of Cynosura as a name of the star, is evident in the title Cynosura seu Mariana Stella Polaris (i.e. "Cynosure, or the Marian Polar Star"), a collection of Marian poetry published by Nicolaus Lucensis (Niccolo Barsotti de Lucca) in 1655. [ citation needed] Star of the North started strong with the kidnapping of a Korean American teenager and her boyfriend from a South Korean Beach. The reader will know that they have been kidnapped, their families do not. T

Find the Little Dipper

Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris ( Latinized to Alpha Ursae Minoris) and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an apparent magnitude that fluctuates around 1.98, [3] it is the brightest star in the constellation and is readily visible to the naked eye at night. [16] The position of the star lies less than 1° away from the north celestial pole, making it the current northern pole star. The stable position of the star in the Northern Sky makes it useful for navigation. They say life imitates art, and that’s the uncanny case with Star of the North, the new thriller from North Korea expert D.B. John… eerily timely… As the real-life situation on the Korean Peninsula continues to fluctuate, you could sit patiently and wait for diplomacy updates — or you can read this sneak peek of Star of the North. Your choice.” - Entertainment Weekly Polaris hasn’t been the only North Star—and thousands of years from now, other stars will take its place. If you’re in the northern hemisphere, you can figure out your direction by finding the North Star. For thousands of years, it has been a handy survival tool for navigators and travelers, even in the darkest of nights. In fact, it’s more accurate than a compass, providing direction and helping people to stay on their course. Even today, knowing how to find the North Star remains one of the most basic survival skills. 2. Life’s Purpose and Passion