rac o ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁closer ▁to ▁the ▁North ▁P ole ▁than ▁Pol aris . ▁The ▁pole ▁stars ▁were ▁used ▁to ▁navigate ▁because ▁they ▁did ▁not ▁disappear ▁below ▁the ▁horizon ▁and ▁could ▁be ▁seen ▁consist ently ▁throughout ▁the ▁night . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁third ▁century ▁BC ▁the ▁Gree ks ▁had ▁begun ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁Little ▁Bear , ▁Urs a ▁Minor , ▁to ▁navigate . ▁In ▁the ▁mid - 1 st ▁century ▁AD ▁Luc an ▁writes ▁of ▁Pom pe y ▁who ▁questions ▁a ▁sail or ▁about ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁stars ▁in ▁navigation . ▁The ▁sail or ▁rep lies ▁with ▁his ▁description ▁of ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁circ ump olar ▁stars ▁to ▁navigate ▁by . ▁To ▁navigate ▁along ▁a ▁degree ▁of ▁latitude ▁a ▁sail or ▁would ▁have ▁needed ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁circ ump olar ▁star ▁above ▁that ▁degree ▁in ▁the ▁sky . ▁For ▁example , ▁Ap oll on ius ▁would ▁have ▁used ▁ β ▁Dra con is ▁to ▁navigate ▁as ▁he ▁tra ve led ▁west ▁from ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁the ▁Al phe us ▁River ▁to ▁Sy rac use . ▁ ▁The ▁voyage ▁of ▁the ▁Greek ▁navig ator ▁Py the as ▁of ▁Mass alia ▁is ▁a ▁particularly ▁notable ▁example ▁of ▁a ▁very ▁long , ▁early ▁voyage . ▁ ▁A ▁compet ent ▁astronom er ▁and ▁ge ograph er , ▁Py the as ▁vent ured ▁from ▁Greece ▁through ▁the ▁stra it ▁of ▁Gib ral tar ▁to ▁Western ▁Europe ▁and ▁the ▁British ▁Is les . ▁ ▁Py the as ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁known ▁person ▁to ▁describe ▁the ▁Mid night ▁Sun