11
To find Polaris in the night sky, look north and find the Big Dipper. Extend an imaginary line from the two “Pointer Stars” in
the bowl of the Big Dipper. Go about 5 times the distance between those stars and you’ll reach Polaris, which lies within 1°
of the north celestial pole (NCP).
Figure 3
Big Dipper
(in Ursa Major)
Little Dipper
(in Ursa Minor)
N.C.P.
Pointer Stars
Polaris
Cassiopeia
Right ascension (R.A.)
setting circle
Polar axis finder scope
Latitude scale
Latitude adjustment
knob
RIGHT
ASCENSION
(POLAR
) Ax
IS
Declination (Dec.)
setting circle
Polar axis finder scope
port (front), with cap
Azimuth adjustment
knob
Figure 2
D
ECLINA
TION
A
x
IS
