Polaris (α Ursae Minoris) is a yellow white star (F7:Ib-IIv SB) in the constellation of Little Bear.

Polaris, also known as the Pole Star or North Star, is the main star in the constellation Little Bear. It is very close to the northern celestial pole, hence its name. Visually, Polaris is a double star, with the much fainter companion being visible only in telescopes. It was discovered in 1780 by William Herschel, a British-German astronomer, musician, and composer. The main star is a double star itself, but it took until the year 2006 when it could be resolved into two components using the Hubble Space Telescope.
 
Polaris is one of the most important stars in the night sky, at least on the northern half of our planet, since Polaris makes it easy to determine North and the latitude of one's position on Earth. For centuries sailors have relied on Polaris to determine their position on the ocean. Only since the introduction of GPS this has become less important, but it is still a popular exercise for people who want to get along without electrical aides.