Aim: What is the relationship between
latitude and Polaris?
Do now: Using your ESRT, page 5, tell me the
latitude and longitude of the following
locations. Be sure to locate the equator and
Prime Meridian before determining the
directions North, South, East or West.
1) Yellowstone Hot spot 2) Bouvet Hot spot
3) Tasman Hot spot
1) Yellowstone Hot spot (in North
America)
2) Bouvet Hot spot (South of Africa)
3) Tasman Hot spot (Off east coast of
Australia)
I. Polaris: The North Star
•
•
•
Brightest star in the sky.
Always in the northern
sky.
It is the tail of the little
dipper
•
Polaris' altitude in the sky above the
horizon is equal to an observer's
latitude.
As your latitude North
increases, the altitude of
Polaris increases.
WATCH THE
ANIMATION
•
•
Polaris’ altitude does not
change when you move
East or West
Polaris
Polaris
420 N Latitude
Equator
Equator
Polaris
900 N Latitude
Equator
II. How do you find the North Star?
• The “pointer
stars” from the
big dipper
point to the
star Polaris.
III. Polaris and Earth
• Polaris is located 400
light years away from
Earth.
• It is positioned in-line
with Earth’s North
Pole.
Since Polaris is in-line with the North Pole, the
other stars appear to Rotate around Polaris as
Earth Rotates.
The stars appear
to rise in the
Eastern sky and
set in the Western
sky
Closure
► 1.
What is the latitude of an observer if
the altitude of Polaris is 43°?




A) 23 N
B) 90 N
C) 43 N
D) 43 S
Answer:
C
► 2.
A person knows he solar time on the
Prime Meridian and the local solar time.
What determination can be made?




A) the date
B) the altitude of Polaris
C) the longitude at which the person is located
D) the latitude at which the person is located
Answer:
C