Why is the North Star Always in the Same Place?

Have you ever wondered why the north star always points to North? Why it always stays in the same location? It seems arbitrary that Polaris, the North Star should be stationary in the sky and be able to navigate us to the four cardinal directions. This video explores how and why Polaris came to be the way it is.

Fun Fact: The North Star was first catalogued in the year 169 AD, but because the Earth precesses around its axis over long periods of time, it couldn't be used as a pole star for navigation to the North until around 1200 AD.

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Created By Ben Mesko

[austynwillis]

But the galaxy drifts across space so how is the North Star still in the same place

[laonlaan]

Why do we see the same stars and constellations every night if we are rotating and revolving?

[earlkreuzer]

Love the new intro and outro. On the shoulders of Ben!

[OfentseMwaseFilms]

In the past 4500 Years, the North Star has only moved 0.0575% in the sky.

[FabledBeats]

I'm guessing because the truth is we live on a non rotational plane.

[brucejordan]

Why do we see mercury at night when it supposed to be between earth and the sun?with our back to the sun which is night our back should be to mercury also but there it is every night.simple stuff

[arielterr]

Hi Ben, I'm very happy that you reply that you reply on most of the questions in the comment section, thank you 💫

[cubaniton]

Have you made the full transformation yet, or do you still have the original parts?

[keithmc]

You forgot we rotate around the sun so can you explain how in 6months when we are on the opposite side of the sun facing in the total opposite direction looking at the sky how do we still see polaris and even the exact same stars for that matter?

[archerpro]

What about the wobble? Explain that please

[sealifett]

I understand the concept but many people do not.Another video is needed

[christopherpedersen]

How are all the stars in our visible view been the same for thousands of years when apparently they are all expanding with the universe away from each other?

[damonmartin]

He makes sense about the "spinning", but what he fails to take into account is that we are "spinning & rotating around the sun". considering that, there is no way in hell we are spinning and rotating around the sun, so I'd love to know wtf is really going on because this vid is a "half explanation" that doesn't add up to anything

[smushamsi]

what about the rotation of earth around the sun? our north pole is continually shifting throughout the year. isn't it??

[Rukain]

Great video. Explained really well with visual help.

[TexMex]

Great video. Polaris is pretty close to exactly North, but not exactly. It's not even the northernmost star. Its the northernmost bright star. Star trails with wide angle lenses, show it not moving. But telephoto lenses show a small circle, and telescopes show a large circle with many other dim stars inside that circle.
If you want see or take a cool star trails photo (and bother the flat Earthers) go close to the equator. The star trails make two circles, or at lease opposite curves. You can't see the full circles. A video about that would be pretty cool..

[EMDNT]

PLEASE. why does the sky always show the same stars if we're rotating, and orbiting, and gyrating, and all this stuff. shouldn't we see different stars all the time?

[kirsten]

Why the stars never changed position in 1000's years, if earth and the solar system is moving with 720.000 km/h in the Milky Way galaxy? That's 17.280.000 km/d.. The stars should be laying differently every few days, even if it's a little, but they don't. That's just not possible.

[dakidd]

Yeah but the earth move around the sun so how we can this the north star in winter and summer too ??

[danielminic]

QUESTION why did I always see venus the brightest star in one spot for decades. Now it's moved 180 degrees. Why?