Why Polaris is not exactly at the pole
An equatorial mount tracks the stars by turning around an axis that must point at the celestial pole. In the north, Polaris is close to the pole but not on it. It sits about 37 arcminutes away, more than the width of the full Moon. Polaris circles the pole once a sidereal day, so the right spot for it changes all night. A polar scope has a small circle on its reticle for this. This page tells you where on that circle Polaris belongs right now.
How to use it
- Set your place. The position depends on your longitude (and your latitude for the mount’s altitude). Your location stays on your device.
- Leave the time on Now for a live view that updates every few seconds, or pick a time to plan ahead.
- Choose Polar scope view (most polar scopes show the sky upside down) or Naked-eye view (as you see it when facing the pole).
- Level the mount, set its altitude scale to your latitude, and turn the RA axis until the reticle’s 0 or 12 mark is at the top.
- Using only the altitude and azimuth adjustment bolts, move Polaris onto the reticle circle at the clock position shown. Then lock the mount.
What each result means
- Hour angle: how far Polaris has turned since it was last straight above the pole (0 h). Some mounts and apps ask for this number directly.
- Clock position: the same angle as a clock face, in the view you picked.
- Distance from the pole: the size of Polaris’s circle. It shrinks slowly every year, because Polaris is still getting closer to the pole until about 2100.
- Next time it is straight above the pole: handy for checking your reticle setup, because at that moment Polaris sits at 12 o’clock in the naked-eye view (6 o’clock in an upside-down scope).
Southern hemisphere
If your latitude is south of the equator, the page switches to Sigma Octantis, the faint star about one degree from the south celestial pole. It is much harder to see (magnitude 5.4), so many southern observers use a camera-based alignment instead. The clock position still helps you start in the right place.
Worked example
From Toronto at 22:00 on 7 November 2026, the Polaris hour angle is about 21 h 44 m. Polaris will be straight above the pole at 00:16, so it is still a little to the east (right) of the top. In the naked-eye view it sits at about 1 o’clock, and in an upside-down polar scope at about 7 o’clock.
Questions
My reticle shows constellations instead of a clock. Some polar scopes show the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia instead. Turn the reticle to match the real sky, then use the naked-eye view here to check where Polaris goes.
Does it need the internet? No. Once the page has loaded, it works offline at the telescope. Press Red light at the top of the page to keep your night vision.
Where the numbers come from
- Sun, Moon and planet positions: astronomy-engine by Don Cross (MIT licence), accurate to about an arcminute.
- City coordinates and time zones: public geographic facts, typed by fibub.
Standard scientific values, such as constants, atomic weights and melting points, are facts found in every textbook; we name where ours were checked. If you are an author or publisher and want a value, a credit or a table changed or removed, tell us and we will act quickly.
Last updated 2026-11-07.