A little knowledge. A more familiar sky.

Learn the night sky.

Recognise it. Remember it. Find it again.

Five questions · any topic

Your next small discovery2 min read

Find your way north

A reliable starting point for learning the northern sky.

The PloughUrsa Major

PolarisUrsa Minor

The outer bowl stars point towards Polaris

Polaris

The North Star sits close to the north celestial pole.

Use the Plough

The two stars at the outer edge of its bowl point towards Polaris.

Two different bears

The Plough is in Ursa Major. Polaris belongs to Ursa Minor.

Make it stick

Big Bear points. Little Bear holds.

Ursa Major helps you find Polaris; Ursa Minor contains it.

Got the idea?Hide the lesson and see what comes back.

Sources & further reading

A little, often

Short visits. Familiar names. Come back to the ones that need another look.

Practised: —
Due now: —
Remembering: —

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New questions are waiting when you’re ready.

How remembering works

Correct answers come back after 1, 3, 7, 14 and 30 days. A missed answer returns in 10 minutes. Early practice is welcome, but doesn’t skip those intervals.

“Remembering” means three successful, spaced reviews—not a guarantee you’ll never forget.

From learning to looking

Try it under the sky

Polaris is useful because of its direction, not because it is the brightest star in the night sky.

Open the Sky Map and search Polaris. Switch on constellation lines to find the two bears.

Open Sky Map