Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Ursa Minor (UMi)  ·  Contains:  1 alf UMi  ·  Polaris  ·  The star Polaris (αUMi)
Polaris (LRGB), Gebhard Maurer
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Polaris (LRGB)

Polaris (LRGB), Gebhard Maurer
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Polaris (LRGB)

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Description

Polaris, designated α Ursae Minoris , commonly the North Star or Pole Star, is the brightest star in the constellation of Ursa Minor. It is very close to the north celestial pole, making it the current northern pole star. The revised Hipparcos parallax gives a distance to Polaris of about 433 light-years (133 parsecs), while calculations by other methods derive distances around 30% closer.

Polaris is a triple star system, composed of the primary star, Polaris Aa (a yellow supergiant), in orbit with a smaller companion (Polaris Ab); the pair in orbit with Polaris B (discovered in August 1779 by William Herschel).

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Polaris (LRGB), Gebhard Maurer