Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris), or the North Star, lies only 0.64° from the North Celestial Pole (NCP). Unlike the biblical Christmas Star, it is a constant presence in the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere and serves as a convenient guide star for navigation.
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| Sony A7iii + Asahi SMC Takumar 120mm f/2.8 @ f/5.6. ISO 1600, 30 s. |
In this 2°-wide image Polaris is the bright six-pointed star top center. The NCP is marked with a white cross.
The lens used here is an M42 screw-mount Asahi (Pentax) Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 120mm f/2.8 from the early 1970s, so about 50-ish years old. I stopped it down two stops to produce the diffraction star effect. This is the first astrophoto I've taken with a Pentax lens.
Polaris marks the end of the handle of the LIttle Dipper:
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| credit: SkySafariAstronomy.com |
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