"Northern Sky" is a song from Nick Drake's 1970 album Bryter Layter. Leading up to and during the recording sessions for the album, the chronically shy and notably withdrawn songwriter formed a friendship and eventually a mentorship of sorts with producer Joe Boyd. Boyd was an early catalyst for the singer, and saw commercial potential in the acoustic and unaccompanied demo version of the song, and recruited former Velvet Underground member John Cale to assist in the production. Cale added piano, organ and celesta arrangements, initially against Drake's wishes. The song marked a strong redirection in Drake's sound and he was in the end very pleased with Cale's additions and enthused by indications that it would make the single that would break him commercially. However, Island Records did not release it as a single and the accompanying album, like its predecessor, received no marketing support and failed to sell. In response, having tried his hand at lush arrangements, he responded with the sparse and bleak, voice and guitar only final album Pink Moon, which received limited release before his death in 1974.

The Northern Celestial Hemisphere or the Northern Sky, is part of a rotating astronomical region in the sky. It is the northern hemisphere of the celestial sphere.