English: Since ancient times, the constellations visible from the northern circumpolar region were of great importance for geographical orientation. In the animated diagram you can see how to find the north polar star, or Polaris as it is commonly known. It may be seen from almost anywhere in the northen hemisphere.

• Polaris sits in the middle of the Great Bear and Cassiopeia (note the long dashed line) and is actually part of the constellation 'Little Bear'. If you can find Cassiopeia and the Great bear you should be able to find Polaris. It is not absolutely necessary, to find at first the constellation 'Little Bear', because often it will not be discovered before Polaris was found, and not vice versa. Ultimately (for example, at a slightly cloudy sky) is not even necessary at all to find the North Star to determine safely the cardinal direction north.
• The Little Bear is not as easy to find as its larger neighbours – the 'Great Bear' and 'Cassiopeia', both of which are much easier to identify.
• Cassiopeia may appear in a form of a letter 'W' or 'M'.
• The Little Bear sits between the Great Bear and Cassiopeia. Some people find it easy to imagine the two 'Bear' constelations as looking rather like saucepans or ladles. This is convenient because the star at the end of the Little Bear's 'handle' is Polaris – the North or Pole star.
• The Great and Little Bears are often known as the 'Big Dipper' and the 'Little Dipper' – another reference to their ladle-like appearance.
• In German the Little Bear its also known as "Small Barrow (Kleiner Wagen). By extension of the whiffletree on the fivefold you will also lead to the Polaris (note the small dashed line).
• In the animation, The Little Bear and two other constellations Cepheus and Draco light up briefly in yellow.