![]() Hipparchos (circa 160-120 B.C.), that the pole was “in a vacant spot forming a quadrangle with three other stars,” both of these calling this (Greek) Polos, the (Latin) Polus of Lucan (39-65A.D.), Ovid (43 B.C.-18?A.D.), and other classical Latins and Euphratean observers had called their pole-star Pul, or Bil. Round about which the primal wheel revolves.Įuclid (circa 300 B.C.) said in his PhainomenaĪ star is visible between the Bears ( Ursa Major and Ursa Minor), not changing its place, but always revolving upon itself Phoenice was the early Greek name, borrowed from its constellation, for this “lovely northern light” and the “most practically useful star in the heavens” but for many centuries it has been Stella Polaris, the Pole-star, or simply Polaris,- The Italian astronomer Riccioli’s (1598–1671) Pollaris this position seeming to be first recognized in literature by Dante when he wrote in the Paradiso The planet, Uranus, was discovered one degree longitude away from this star.Ī good essay on Polaris by Lance Carlyle Carter can be read on this website: įrom p.453 of Star Names, Richard Hinckley Allen, 1889. In past ages, whichever star held the position of Pole Star was worshipped as the star of that age and temples were built to them in ancient Egypt. Another version of this story has it that the oxen were tied to the polar axis and were driven on by Bootes, assisted by his two dogs Canes Venatici, “in order that the rotations of the heavens should never cease.” The proximity of the stars of the two bears ( Ursa Major and Ursa Minor) to the North Celestial Pole gave the impression that they were wheeling around this point, pulling perhaps a plough behind them, tilling the heavenly fields and driven on by Bootes the Bear Driver who chases or herds the Bears around Polaris. The name came into our English language as Cynosure, which means “an object that serves as a focal point of attention and admiration” or “Something that serves to guide”. Greek navigators of old called Polaris Kynosoura, which means “the Dog’s Tail”. It has been known by many names in the past “the Pathway” “the Pointer” – indicating the way “Navel of the World”, “Gate of Heaven”, “Hub of the Cosmos”, “the Highest Peak of the World Mountain”, “Lodestar” “the Steering Star” “the Ship Star” and Stella Maris “Star of the Sea”. ![]() Perhaps more than any star other than the Sun Polaris has been regarded as the most important star in the heavens. Located almost directly overhead as seen from the North Pole, it is situated at the tip of the tail of the Little Bear, Ursa Minor and the brightest star of that constellation. Polaris has long been an important star to sailors, caravans of old winding their way over the desert by night and others who navigated their way by the stars. Polaris has been close to the actual position of the north pole for over 1000 years. Other stars along this circle were the pole star in the past and will be again in the future, including Thuban and Vega. Therefore, it makes an excellent fixed point from which to draw measurements for celestial navigation and for astrometry. Polaris is our Pole star, situated at the north pole it never sets and as Wikipedia explains Polaris stands almost motionless on the sky, and all the stars of the Northern sky appear to rotate around it. Its name comes to us from Latin Stella Polaris, meaning “Pole Star”. Alpha (α) Ursa Minor, Polaris, is a star in the tip of the tail of the Little Bear.
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