Check your local weekly forecast to get an idea of what the weather will be like around the time of your stargazing adventure. The farther in advance you’re able to plan, the better. Ideally, you should wait until the moon is in a waning phase—if it’s glowing too brightly, its radiant light may make the Little Dipper appear less distinct.
Streetlamps, porch lights, and other forms of electrical illumination give off ambient light, which can “bleed” into the night sky and make heavenly bodies hazy or even invisible. [3] X Research source Since the Little Dipper is already so faint, too much light pollution could make it impossible to catch a glimpse.
Even things like tree telephone poles and power lines could be distracting enough to break your line of sight or throw off your concentration.
The movement of the Earth plays a big part in the way stars appear from ground level. Since the planet rotates on an axis, your geographic location in relation to the Little Dipper will change with the seasons, making it look higher or lower. While it’s technically possible to catch sight of the Little Dipper at any time of the year as long as you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s much harder in the fall and winter, when the formation “drops” and is prone to getting lost in the horizon.
The Little Dipper and the North Star are features exclusive to the northern sky. Unfortunately, that means that none of these star patterns will be directly visible if you happen to be below the equator. Keep in mind that there are many incredible celestial bodies to take in from the southern regions, including the Southern Cross, Alpha Centauri, the sparkling Jewel Box cluster, and the largest satellites of the Milky Way. [7] X Research source
Digital star maps and star-finder apps often include built-in compasses to help you establish your vantage point. Some even label astral formations and the individual stars that comprise them, taking the difficulty out of identifying them yourself. [9] X Research source
Consider buying or renting a telescope to “zoom in” on the stars and simplify the process of locating the Little Dipper and other groupings and constellations. If a telescope is out of your price range, you might also invest in some binoculars. A strong pair of binoculars can increase your viewing power by up to 70%![11] X Research source If your goal is to find the Little Dipper, Polaris will be your biggest help, as it’s the biggest and brightest star in the bunch. In order to identify Polaris, however, it may sometimes be necessary to first track down the Big Dipper.
Keep in mind that the positions of stars can appear to change depending on your location. The further south you are, for instance, the closer to the horizon the Big Dipper will be. If you’re further north, look for it in the upper reaches of the sky. [13] X Research source For most amateur astronomers in the continental United States, the Big Dipper is usually somewhere around the halfway point between the vertical limit of the night sky and the horizon.
Once you’ve located Merak and Dubhe, draw an imaginary line between the 2 stars, then extend this line towards the north by about 5 times its length. Somewhere around, you may be able to make out Polaris. [15] X Research source
Pherkad and Kochab are also known as “the Guardians of the Pole” because of the way they “patrol” around Polaris. They are the nearest of the bright stars to the Polaris, and therefore to Earth’s northern axis. [17] X Research source Kochab, a second magnitude star, is the brighter of the pair, with a distinct orange glow. Pherkad is a third magnitude star, but is still plainly visible under most conditions.
If you happen to spy the “bowl” stars first, start looking for the “handle” stars. Remember that Polaris is the star at the outermost part of the handle, and that Pherkad and Kochab lie at the other end. Here’s a fun fact: because of the way the Earth turns, the Big Dipper and Little Dipper seem to constantly rotate around one another so that when one is upright, the other is upside down. Additionally, the handles of the 2 star patterns always point in opposite direction. [19] X Research source
