Yellow-white supergiant · Ursa Minor
Polaris
Also known as: α Ursae Minoris (α UMi), HIP 11767
mag 2.0430 light-years
About
Polaris (α Ursae Minoris) is a yellow-white supergiant of magnitude 2.0 in Ursa Minor, about 430 light-years away.
How to find it
- Polaris is in the constellation Ursa Minor.
- Where on Earth: it is seen well, at least 10° up, from north of 9° N.
- Star patterns: Little Dipper.
- Little Dipper: The North Star, less than 1° from the pole; a small telescope shows a faint companion beside it.
When it rises and sets tonight, how high it climbs and how much the Moon gets in the way are worked out in your browser for your place.
What you will see
- EyesEasy, even from town.
- Binoculars (10×50)A sharp point; binoculars bring out its colour and the fainter stars around it.
- Telescope (6–8 inch)Still a point of light at any magnification — stars are too far away to show a disc. Low in the sky, bright stars twinkle and flash colours.
Stars look the same in any instrument: brighter and sharper, but never bigger.
Facts
| Proper name | Polaris |
|---|---|
| Designation | α Ursae Minoris (α UMi) |
| Hipparcos number | HIP 11767 |
| Type | Yellow-white supergiant |
| Spectral type | F7:Ib-IIv SB |
| Colour | YellowB−V colour index 0.64 |
| Magnitude | 2.0The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Distance | 430 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1590. |
| Proper motion | 0.046″ per year across the sky |
| Constellation | Ursa Minor |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 02h 31m 47.1s |
| Declination (J2000) | +89° 15′ 51″ |
More in Ursa Minor
Sources and credits
Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →