Polaris has been used for
navigational purposes for many years because of it's closeness to the
north celestial pole and it's appearingly fixed position in relation to the horizon from any one geographical
latitude. Polaris itself is quite faint but easily seen because it stands relatively alone in the
night sky.
Other names for the star are the
North Star or the
Pole Star. Also, the
Lonestar (guiding star) - in
figurative language, one's lonestar is one's aim or guiding
principle. The
Finnish call it
Taehti or the
Star at the Top of the Heavenly Mountain. In
China one name for it was
Great Imperial Ruler of Heaven. When the
emperor gave certain audiences, he sat on his throne facing south so that the Pole Star was above his head for those he received. The
Laplanders called it the
North Nail, while the
Arabs called it the Northen Axle or
Mill Peg, the sphere of stars around it being imagined as a turning millstone. It has also been named Cynosura.
Polaris is within the
constellation of the
Little Bear (
Ursa Minor), and is the brightest star at the end of the handle of the
little dipper.
It should be noted that
ancient references to the Pole Star relate to whichever star was nearest to the pole at that time. Polaris itself should be approach closest to the pole on
March 24, 2100, according to
Jean Meeus.