On March 24, 2100, Polaris will be at its closest point to the celestial pole, a mere 27.15 arc-minutes away — a distance smaller than the apparent width of the moon.

In just 2,200 years Errai will be situated a mere 3 degrees from the north celestial pole in the night sky, according to The University of Virginia, putting an end to Polaris reign.

Long exposures of the sky create star trails as Earth rotates. Polaris, at the North Celestial Pole, is the only star that remains a point in such images. Credit: robin_24 (Flickr, CC BY 2.0) ...

Due to Earth's axial precession, or wobble, the celestial pole slowly shifts over thousands of years. In approximately 12,000 years, Polaris will be replaced by the star Vega as the North Star.

Polaris will continue to be the pole star for a few thousand years to come, until Earth's rotational axis wanders inexorably away on its 26,000-year wobble. 2 - Thuban ...