Summary:
- The North Star, or Polaris, is not always the same star. Over a 26,000-year cycle, the Earth's axis of rotation slowly changes, causing different stars to become the North Star.
- Currently, Polaris is the North Star, but in the past, other stars like Vega and Thuban have held this position. In the future, Alderamin will become the North Star.
- This 26,000-year cycle is caused by the precession of the Earth's axis, which is like a spinning top slowly changing the direction it points.