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Describe how stars appear to move as seen from the North Pole. How do their alt/az coordinates change over the course of 24 hours? Where would you find the North Star?

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Final answer:

From the North Pole, stars appear to move in circular paths parallel to the horizon, and the alt/az coordinates do not change over time. The North Star, Polaris, is located nearly at the zenith and remains stationary in the sky.

Step-by-step explanation:

At the North Pole, stars appear to move in a circular pattern around the sky because the observer is aligned with Earth's axis of rotation. Over the course of 24 hours, the stars will circle parallel to the horizon, maintaining the same altitude (angle above the horizon) because they do not rise or set. The North Star, Polaris, is located nearly directly above the North Pole at the zenith, which means it also does not move and will always be found in the same spot in the sky when viewed from the North Pole.

The altitude/azimuth (alt/az) coordinates of the stars from the North Pole do not change over the night; the altitude remains constant because the stars are always the same distance from the horizon. Polaris can be identified by locating the north celestial pole, which is where the Earth's axis of rotation points directly overhead at the North Pole. This makes Polaris the most reliable celestial navigation marker for observers in the northern hemisphere.

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