An animation of the northern circumpolar stars

    Caption: An animation of the northern circumpolar stars rotating around the NCP. One can see the Big Dipper (with lines), the Little Dipper (without lines), and Cassiopeia (the big W with lines).

    Features:

    1. One can see rotation like this from a sufficiently northern latitude in the Northern Hemisphere.

      Of course, daylight makes it hard to see a complete rotation.

    2. The off-and-on yellow lights are highlighting certain constellations: Cepheus (just counterclockwise of Cassiopeia), Draco (just counterclockwise of Cepheus), and the Little Dipper.

    3. The other yellow lights seem to be in windows of buildings in a cityscape.

    4. The altitude A of the NCP above due north equals the latitude L of the observer. Thus, A = L.

    5. The circumpolar circle angular radius is the angular radius of the circumpolar circle centered on the NCP within which astronomical objects are circumpolar objects.

      The circumpolar circle angular radius obviously equals A = L.

    Credit/Permission: © User:Mjchael, 2006 / Creative Commons CC BY-SA 2.5.
    Image link: Wikipedia: File:Zirkumpolar ani.gif.
    Local file: local link: sky_swirl_polaris_animation.html.
    File: Celestial sphere file: sky_swirl_polaris_animation.html.