<P> Polaris is near the celestial pole for only a small fraction of the 25,700 - year precession cycle . It will remain a good approximation for about 1,000 years, by which time the pole will have moved to be closer to Alrai (Gamma Cephei). In about 5,500 years, the pole will have moved near the position of the star Alderamin (Alpha Cephei), and in 12,000 years, Vega (Alpha Lyrae) will become our north star, but it will be about six degrees from the true north celestial pole . </P> <P> To find Polaris, face north and locate the Big Dipper (Plough) and Little Dipper asterisms . Looking at the "cup" part of the Big Dipper, imagine that the two stars at the outside edge of the cup form a line pointing upward out of the cup . This line points directly at the star at the tip of the Little Dipper's handle . That star is Polaris, the North Star . </P> <P> The south celestial pole is visible only from the Southern Hemisphere . It lies in the dim constellation Octans, the Octant . Sigma Octantis is identified as the south pole star, over a degree away from the pole, but with a magnitude of 5.5 it is barely visible on a clear night . </P> <P> The south celestial pole can be located from the Southern Cross (Crux) and its two "pointer" stars α Centauri and β Centauri . Draw an imaginary line from γ Crucis to α Crucis--the two stars at the extreme ends of the long axis of the cross--and follow this line through the sky . Either go four - and - a-half times the distance of the long axis in the direction the narrow end of the cross points, or join the two pointer stars with a line, divide this line in half, then at right angles draw another imaginary line through the sky until it meets the line from the Southern Cross . This point is 5 or 6 degrees from the south celestial pole . Very few bright stars of importance lie between Crux and the pole itself, although the constellation Musca is fairly easily recognised immediately beneath Crux . </P>

Where does the north (or south) celestial pole appear in your sky