Polis

Its story

Polis burns in the bow of Sagittarius as a hot, young blue star of type B. Its name, of Coptic and ancient Greek origin, has survived almost by chance in modern catalogues. It is a subtle variable whose brightness shifts at a barely perceptible rhythm. Look toward it on a summer night and you will also be looking toward the dense heart of the Milky Way, where billions of suns blur into the luminous band that gave our entire galaxy its name.