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pole star
Also known as polestar, lodestar, lode star, polarstar, polar star, guiding star
visible star that is approximately aligned with the Earth's axis of rotation
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Northern Hemisphere circumpolar stars around Polaris, with a long-exposure producing a star trail photo
A pole star is a visible star that is approximately aligned with the axis of rotation of an astronomical body; that is, a star whose apparent position is close to one of the celestial poles. On Earth, a pole star would lie directly overhead when viewed from the North or the South Pole.