Which pair of stars are known as the pointer stars used to locate Polaris?

Study for the Geodesy Refresher Exam. Prepare with multiple choice questions, hints, and explanations. Ace your exam with confidence!

Multiple Choice

Which pair of stars are known as the pointer stars used to locate Polaris?

Explanation:
To locate Polaris, you use two bright stars known as pointer stars. Those stars are the ones at the end of the Big Dipper’s bowl, named Dubhe and Merak. They line up in the sky in a direction toward Polaris. If you draw an imaginary line from these two stars, it points toward the north celestial pole where Polaris sits, helping you find true north at night. The other star pairs listed are bright but are not used to point to Polaris, so they don’t provide the same reliable cue.

To locate Polaris, you use two bright stars known as pointer stars. Those stars are the ones at the end of the Big Dipper’s bowl, named Dubhe and Merak. They line up in the sky in a direction toward Polaris. If you draw an imaginary line from these two stars, it points toward the north celestial pole where Polaris sits, helping you find true north at night. The other star pairs listed are bright but are not used to point to Polaris, so they don’t provide the same reliable cue.

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