Find the pole star on this picture

[skysurfer]

On the site of National Geographic I found a nice picture of natural luminescence with a starry sky.

One of the celestial poles is on this picture. Can you locate it and which pole is it ?

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/20...s-glow-890.jpg

[glend (Glen)]

Well snce there is no pole star in the Southern Hemispere it would have to be Polaris in the Northern Hemisphere. The Octans group is the closest to the SCP.

[skysurfer]

Originally Posted by glend

Well snce there is no pole star in the Southern Hemispere ...

Correction: there is no bright pole star such as Alpha UMi, but there is. BQ Octantis (+6.9) only 10' from the pole. That star I use for polar alignment, and the nearest naked eye one is Sigma Oct (+5.5) 1.1 degree from the pole. Part of the Octans Trapezium which is visible to the naked eye.