What is the altitude of Polaris as seen from New York City if terrestrial coordinates are 41 degrees north 74 west?

To calculate the altitude of Polaris as seen from New York City, given the terrestrial coordinates of 41 degrees north, 74 degrees west, we need to consider the latitude of the location and the declination of Polaris.

1. Latitude of New York City: The latitude of New York City is approximately 40 degrees 42 minutes north (40.7°N).

2. Declination of Polaris: The declination of Polaris is approximately 89 degrees 15 minutes north (89.3°N). This value represents the angular distance of Polaris from the celestial equator.

3. Altitude Calculation: To calculate the altitude of Polaris as seen from New York City, we can use the following formula:

```

Altitude = 90° - (Latitude - Declination)

```

Plugging in the values we have:

```

Altitude = 90° - (40.7°N - 89.3°N)

Altitude = 90° - (-48.6°N)

Altitude ≈ 138.6°

```

Therefore, the altitude of Polaris as seen from New York City is approximately 138.6 degrees. This means Polaris appears about 138.6 degrees above the northern horizon in New York City.