Find the North Star with the Big Dipper
Thirty minutes on a clear night. Find the Big Dipper, follow the two pointer stars to Polaris and learn why the old woodsmen used the sky as a compass.
- Time
- 30 min
- Cost
- $0
- Ages
- 5 and up
- Where
- Yard, driveway or park
Since 1911: The 1911 book says the Dipper's pointer stars lead to Polaris at about three and a half times the gap between them. NASA says to go about five times that gap. Polaris works for finding north in the Northern Hemisphere only.
What you need
- A warm jacket and a blanket
- A flashlight for walking
- A phone compass or a magnetic compass to check
- Paper and a pencil to draw the stars
Before you start
- Stay in a safe, familiar spot, like your yard or a lit park, and tell a grown-up where you are.
- Dress warmly. Standing still at night is colder than it feels when you step out.
- Don't walk looking up. Stop and look, or lie on a blanket.
Steps
- Pick a clear night. Pick a clear night, get away from bright lights and let your eyes adjust.
- Find the Big Dipper. Look north for a dipper shape with a bent handle.
- Find the two pointer stars. Find the two stars on the outer edge of the Dipper's bowl.
- Follow them to Polaris. Follow the pointer stars about five gaps to Polaris.
- Face north and check. Face Polaris and check it with a compass.
- Watch the sky turn. Mark where the Dipper is, then look again an hour later.
If it stalls
- If you can't find the Dipper, turn slowly until you find any seven-star shape. In some seasons it sits low over the horizon.
- Once you've found the Dipper, look at the bend in its handle. A faint small star sits right beside the middle star there; the 1911 book says spotting it means sharp eyes.
Stars named
Signed off: can do this.Signed by Date