Why is the constellation Polaris circumpolar?

Question

What is the reasnon for that?

Answer 1

First, Polaris is not a constellation, but a star in Canius Minor (the Little Dipper).

Now, Polaris is located about 1 degree from the North Celestial Pole, so it never sets to anyone above 1 degree north of the equator (very roughly).

circumpolar means that the stars never set, they are always visiable, I am at roughly 30 degrees north, so any star within 30 degrees of the North Celestial Pole will never set and are circumpolar to me.

Again these are rough figures, terrain and other factors come in as well as the fact that the earth is not a perfect sphere, but it is close enough to get the idea across.


Addition:

Drat, how did I say Canius minor instead of Ursa Minor?

thanks for pointing that out logic. . .

Answer 2

Polaris is not in canu minor but Ursa Minor. At 1950 epoch it was the true North Star and in photgraphs was a dot in the middle of the star trails. It now makes its own trail. Circumpolar stars are stars that revolve around the north star and never set. They are based on your latitude. At the equator, the north star is on the horizon so there are no circumpolar stars. As you move towards the pole (north or south), the pole star rises above the horizon. When you reach the pole, the pole star is directly above you so all stars with declanation 90 degrees to zero are circumpolar, and all negative declanation stars are not seen.

Answer 3

I suppose you are referring to Ursa Minor constellation. Polaris is one of its stars. As Polaris is coincident with North Pole, one of the ends of the axis of the celestial sphere, all stars near it revolve around Polaris. Of course, it is not the celestial sphere that turns, but the Earth. Revolution of celestial sphere is our perception of the Earth rotation around it axis.

Answer 4

The reason is the reason, and there is no reasoning in that.