( Accidentally posted before I finished)... That's what I always do, and I'll be damned if I can never find the thing either. Must be sun spot activity in the ozone layer...
No, you idiot! You face West and turn left!! duh!! Actually, the reason you can't find the North Star is because the North Stars moved to Dallas....I found one for you...
It is actually kind of hard to do here in Houston becasue we are so far down south. The north star is real close to the horizon.
When you find the big dipper look at the two stars of the “bowl,” these two stars at the end of the bowl of the Big Dipper are called the "Pointer Stars" because a line drawn between them points to Polaris, the North Star. This star is also the first star of the little dipper. MR. MEOWGI is right. Right now the constellation of Ursa Major (where the big dipper is located) is very low to the horizon. In a couple of months it will be higher on the horizon (easier to see).
Once you locate the Big Dipper, imagine a line connecting the two stars at the front of the "dipper" (last 2 stars), continue a line from those 2 stars to the side where the dipper is "open" to a distance 5 times that between the 2 stars, and you will arrive at (or very close to) the "POLE STAR" which is a faint star.
Thanks mcmark, blatz, meowgi. Since we're fairly south, about what angle would I have to look up to see it? It's pretty low, so would I need to be on an open field or could I look up and find it anywhere where it's dark enough?
Its altitude (the angle it makes with the horizon) is always equal to the latitude of the observer. Since the altitude of the Pole star is always equal to the observer's latitude, if you know your latitude, that's how high from the horizon the pole star will be. So, if you are at Equator, the Pole Star will be zero degrees above horizon. Houston - 29º
How long have you been lost. I can sell you some water on e-bay to keep you alive until you find that damn star.
