The constellation Ursa Minor includes Polaris,the North Star,as a member.An observer just north of the equator might:
A) see Ursa Minor rise and set on some nights throughout the year.
B) see Ursa Minor rise and set every night.
C) see Ursa Minor throughout the night, every night of the year.
D) never see Ursa Minor.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An observer just north of the equator will be able to see Ursa Minor rise and set on some nights throughout the year, but not every night. This is because Ursa Minor is located very close to the North Celestial Pole, which is the point directly above the Earth's North Pole. This means that as the Earth rotates on its axis, Ursa Minor appears to revolve around the North Pole, and is therefore always visible from the Northern Hemisphere. However, an observer at the equator is situated on the dividing line between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and will only be able to see Ursa Minor when it rises above the horizon in the north. This will occur on some nights throughout the year, depending on the observer's location and the time of year.

The Constellation Ursa Minor Includes Polaris,the North Star,as a Member