In the days when equatorial mounts ruled backyard astronomers’ roosts, pointing the optics toward the North Celestial Pole was a Herculean task. Today, Dobsonian and other alt-azimuth mounts are becoming increasingly popular, and with them it’s no harder to point to Polaris (Alpha [α] Ursae Minoris) than to Procyon (Alpha Canis Minoris).
Regardless of what type of mount you have (and the effort involved), crisp winter nights are an excellent time to set sail for the celestial seas of the extreme north and seek out some wild wonders within 10° of the pole.
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