How to Find Your Way Using the North Star

Learn how to locate Polaris in the night sky to find true north using simple observation techniques. HowTo: Family Edition: family how-tos that actually help.

1. Find the Big Dipper. Look up and find the Big Dipper constellation. It looks like a giant soup ladle made of seven bright stars. Ask a grown-up to help you point it out if you have trouble spotting the 'bowl' and the 'handle'.
2. Locate the Pointer Stars. Look at the edge of the Big Dipper’s bowl—the side farthest from the handle. Find the two stars that make up the outer edge. These are called the 'pointer stars' because they point directly to the North Star.
3. Follow the Path to Polaris. Imagine a straight line extending from the bottom pointer star through the top pointer star. Follow that imaginary line across the sky for about five times the distance between the two pointer stars. You will land on a medium-bright star—that is Polaris, the North Star.
4. Confirm with a Compass. Once you think you have found it, ask a grown-up to help you use a compass to check that you are facing true north. Polaris will always be directly above the north point on your compass.