Polaris (star)

Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation Ursa Minor, and is also known as the North Star or Pole Star. Polaris is the brightest star in Ursa Minor, and its position is less than 1° away from the north celestial pole of rotation, making it the current northern pole star. The stable position of Polaris in the northern sky makes it useful for celestial navigation. 
Polaris can be located by extending an imaginary straight line through Dubhe and Merak, the two stars in the front of the bowl of the Big Dipper. 
==In the Mythos==
Polaris is presented in the story "Polaris" by H. P. Lovecraft as a malign presence that exerts a sinister influence on the unnamed narrator, causing him to fall asleep at a crucial moment when he is guarding the city of Olathoë against an invasion by the hordes of the Inutos. However, we are also told that he is given to "strange faintings" in stressful situations. This leaves the question open as to whether his lapse into unconsciousness was caused by his psychological condition, or by the malevolent force represented by the "insane watching eye" of the Pole Star.
Category:Stars
Category:Locations Incorporated From the Real World