north celestial pole
If you were standing at Earth's North Pole, the North Star, also known as Polaris, would be located directly in the zenith, or straight overhead. This is because Polaris is situated very close to the celestial north pole in the night sky.
The north celestial pole
the north pole
Less than a degree from the zenith.
No, zenith and the North Star are not the same. The zenith is the point directly above an observer, whereas the North Star (Polaris) is a star located near the celestial North Pole in the Northern Hemisphere, making it useful for navigation.
The imaginary point in the sky directly above an observer on Earth is called the zenith. It represents the highest point in the sky that an observer can see when looking straight up.
Your latitude is 20 degrees north of the equator because Polaris is located at the celestial north pole, which is directly above the Earth's North Pole. This means that the angle between Polaris and your zenith corresponds to your angular distance north of the equator.
Since Polaris is located at the North Celestial Pole, if you are standing on Earth's equator, Polaris will not be visible directly overhead. Instead, it would be located on the northern horizon due to the Earth's curvature and your position relative to the pole.
57.5 degrees north of your zenith.
Only if you are at the North Pole.
Less than a degree from the zenith.
the north pole
If you were at the Earth's North Pole, the zenith would point directly overhead towards the celestial North Pole. This means that at the zenith, you would see the North Star (Polaris) if it were nighttime.
No, zenith and the North Star are not the same. The zenith is the point directly above an observer, whereas the North Star (Polaris) is a star located near the celestial North Pole in the Northern Hemisphere, making it useful for navigation.
No. It will only always be CLOSE to the zenith if you happen to be at the north pole. At other latitudes, for example if you live at 30° north latitude, it will be about 30° above the horizon (to the north), if you live at 50° north latitude, it will be about 50° above the horizon, etc.
The imaginary point in the sky directly above an observer on Earth is called the zenith. It represents the highest point in the sky that an observer can see when looking straight up.
Your latitude is 20 degrees north of the equator because Polaris is located at the celestial north pole, which is directly above the Earth's North Pole. This means that the angle between Polaris and your zenith corresponds to your angular distance north of the equator.
You would be pretty darn close to the north pole. _______________________ Specifically, you would be within about 40 miles of the north pole. Polaris is about 2/3 of a degree away from being directly above the north pole.
Since Polaris is located at the North Celestial Pole, if you are standing on Earth's equator, Polaris will not be visible directly overhead. Instead, it would be located on the northern horizon due to the Earth's curvature and your position relative to the pole.
Polaris, otherwise known as the pole star or the north star, is very close to being straight up from the north pole. If you were standing right at the north pole, Polaris would be almost exactly at your zenith-- straight up.