North Star
der Polarstern, die Polarsterne
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North Star
A bright star in the constellation Ursa Minor, located near the north celestial pole. In the Northern Hemisphere, it points almost exactly north and is therefore used for navigation.
Die Wanderer fanden mithilfe des Polarsterns heraus, wo Norden war.
The hikers used the North Star to figure out where north was.
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Polarsterne |
| genitive | des Polarsternes |
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Polarstern | die Polarsterne |
| accusative | den Polarstern | die Polarsterne |
| dative | dem Polarstern | den Polarsternen |
| genitive | des Polarsternes des Polarsterns | der Polarsterne |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
'Polarstern' (North Star) is made up of 'Polar' (polar) and 'Stern' (star). The first part refers to its proximity to the north celestial pole.
Bei klarem Himmel ist der Polarstern gut zu erkennen.
In clear skies, the North Star is easy to spot.
The phrase 'sich an etwas orientieren' (to use something for orientation) is often used for navigation. With 'der Polarstern' (the North Star), the dative is used: 'sich am Polarstern orientieren' (to use the North Star for orientation).
Die Seeleute orientierten sich am Polarstern.
The sailors used the North Star for navigation.
Common collocations are 'den Polarstern finden' (to find the North Star), 'den Polarstern erkennen' (to recognize the North Star), and 'sich am Polarstern orientieren' (to use the North Star for orientation). These expressions are most often used in texts about navigation, hiking, or astronomy.
Mit einer Sternkarte konnte die Gruppe den Polarstern finden.
Using a star chart, the group was able to find the North Star.
