Hubble Images Polaris's Companion
This sequence of images shows that the North Star, Polaris is really a triple star system.
For the first time, the close companion of Polaris has been seen directly.
The left frame shows Polaris's location very close to the position of Earth's north celestial pole in Ursa Minor (the Small Bear).
Credit:About the Image
About the Object
| Name: | Alpha Ursae Minoris, North Star, Polaris, Polaris A, Polaris B, Small Bear, Ursa Minor |
| Type: | Milky Way : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Main Sequence Milky Way : Star : Grouping : Triple |
| Distance: | 400 light years |
| Category: | Stars |
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Ultraviolet Near-UV | 220 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |