<Tr> <Td> SIMBAD </Td> <Td> α UMi A </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> α UMi B </Td> </Tr> <P> Polaris, designated Alpha Ursae Minoris (α Ursae Minoris, abbreviated Alpha UMi, α UMi), commonly the North Star or Pole Star, is the brightest star in the constellation of Ursa Minor . It is very close to the north celestial pole, making it the current northern pole star . The revised Hipparcos parallax gives a distance to Polaris of about 433 light - years (133 parsecs), while calculations by other methods derive distances around 30% closer . </P> <P> Polaris is a multiple star, comprising the main star (Polaris Aa, a yellow supergiant) in orbit with a smaller companion (Polaris Ab); the pair in orbit with Polaris B (discovered in August 1779 by William Herschel). There were once thought to be two more distant components--Polaris C and Polaris D--but these have been shown not to be physically associated with the Polaris system . </P>

What's the name of the north star