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The North Star (polestar) is a conspicuous star in the northern hemisphere, located closest to the point toward which the axis of the earth is directed, thus roughly marking the location of the north celestial pole. A polestar has been used by navigators throughout recorded history for charting navigation routes and is still used for determining true azimuth and astronomic latitude. The positions of the celestial poles change as the earth's axis moves with the earth's processional motion, and as the north celestial pole assumes different positions relative to the constellations, different stars become the North Star. During the past 5000 years the line of direction of the North Pole has moved from the star Thuban, or Alpha Draconis, in the constellation Draco, to within one degree of the bright star Polaris in the constellation Ursa Minor, which is now the North Star.
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Charles Francis Hall was an American explorer. He was born in 1821 at Rochester, New Hampshire and died in 1871. He began life as a blacksmith, became a journalist in Cincinnati; in 1860 organized an Arctic expedition in search of Franklin, and remained amongst the Esquimaux two years, acquiring their language and habits. In 1864 he undertook a second expedition to the same regions, where he remained until 1869.
In 1871, at the instigation of Charles Hall, the US government fitted out the Polaris for an expedition to the North Pole, and placed Captain Francis Hall in command. The Polaris sailed from New York on June the 29th, 1871, and on the 30th of August reached latitude 82 degrees 16 minutes North, and then turned back to winter in a sheltered bay at latitude 81 degrees 38 minutes, where Francis Hall died on November the 8th. The Polaris was ultimately abandoned by her crew, who reached home only after experiencing many privations and adventures. An account of his first expedition was given by Captain Francis Hall in his Arctic .Researches and Life amongst the Esquimaux.
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Trident is the nuclear missile deployed on certain American nuclear-powered submarines. Each missile has eight warheads (MIRVs). The Trident replaced the earlier Polaris and Poseidon missiles.
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Polaris (US Navy designation UGM-27) was a series of American solid-propellant two-stage underwater-to-surface or surface-to-surface thermo nuclear ballistic missiles made by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. Polaris entered production around 1957, the initial model the Polaris A1 had a range of 2200 km. A developed model, the Polaris A2 entered production in 1961 with a range of 2800 km and in 1962 the first test firing of a further developed Polaris A3 model was made. The Polaris A3 had a range of 4630 km. The Polaris series were 1036 cm long and had a flight speed of Mach 10.
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The Polaris was a Swedish patrol boat of 105 tons displacement launched between 1908 and 1910 as a torpedo boat. The Polaris had a top speed of 25 knots and was armed with one 57 mm gun and one 18 inch torpedo tube.
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HMS Polaris was a British Algerine Class minesweeper of 950 tons displacement launched in 1944. HMS Polaris was powered by two 3-drum type boilers providing a top speed of 16.5 knots. She carried a peacetime complement of 85 and between 104 and 138 in war. For defence she was armed with one 4-inch dual-purpose gun; four 40 mm anti-aircraft guns and two depth charge throwers.
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HMS Renown is a British Resolution Class Nuclear Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine of 8500 tons displacement dived. She is powered by a pressurised water-cooled RR PWR 1 nuclear reactor providing a top speed of 25 knots submerged. HMS Renown carries a crew of 143 including 13 officers comprising two crews. Armaments consist of sixteen nuclear warhead Lockheed Polaris A3 two stage solid fuel submarine launched ballistic missile rockets and six 21 inch bow torpedo tubes taking the Marconi Tigerfish Mk 24 Mod 2 torpedo.
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HMS Repulse is a British Resolution Class Nuclear Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine of 8500 tons displacement dived. She is powered by a pressurised water-cooled RR PWR 1 nuclear reactor providing a top speed of 25 knots submerged. HMS Repulse carries a crew of 143 including 13 officers comprising two crews. Armaments consist of sixteen nuclear warhead Lockheed Polaris A3 two stage solid fuel submarine launched ballistic missile rockets and six 21 inch bow torpedo tubes taking the Marconi Tigerfish Mk 24 Mod 2 torpedo.
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HMS Resolution is a British Resolution Class Nuclear Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine of 8500 tons displacement dived. She is powered by a pressurised water-cooled RR PWR 1 nuclear reactor providing a top speed of 25 knots submerged. HMS Resolution carries a crew of 143 including 13 officers comprising two crews. Armaments consist of sixteen nuclear warhead Lockheed Polaris A3 two stage solid fuel submarine launched ballistic missile rockets and six 21 inch bow torpedo tubes taking the Marconi Tigerfish Mk 24 Mod 2 torpedo.
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HMS Revenge is a British Resolution Class Nuclear Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine of 8500 tons displacement dived. She is powered by a pressurised water-cooled RR PWR 1 nuclear reactor providing a top speed of 25 knots
submerged. HMS Revenge carries a crew of 143 including 13 officers comprising two crews. Armaments consist of sixteen nuclear warhead Lockheed Polaris A3 two stage solid fuel submarine launched ballistic missile rockets and six 21 inch bow torpedo tubes taking the Marconi Tigerfish Mk 24 Mod 2 torpedo.
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The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
©1993 - 2009 The Probert Encyclopaedia
Southampton, United Kingdom
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