What is Polaris and Why is it called the North Star?

Polaris is called the "North Star" because its position in the sky defines the direction of due North. Whenever you want to figure out where North is, all you have to do is find this star. Polaris is usually easy to locate if you can see the Big Dipper, which is a group of stars that seem to form a pot with a handle when you connect them together with an imaginary line. The two stars at the end of the pot (not the ones in the handle) are called the "pointer stars" because an imaginary curve through them and out the top of the pot points to Polaris.

The Earth's rotation axis points toward Polaris, which is why the direction to this star defines due North. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, Polaris is always located above the horizon, even in the daytime (although you can't see the star because the sky is so bright then).