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Is there a "South Star"?

What is the name of the south star? Example: The north star is Polaris.

There is no "South Star". It's just a coincidence that there happens to be a bright star (Polaris) close to the Celestial North Pole. The Southern Hemisphere isn't so lucky. The only star that comes close is Sigma Octans, which is 1 degree away from the South Celestial Pole. But it's only 6th magnitude--too dim to see at all except under optimal conditions. Of course, because the stars move in the sky, the fact that we have a North Star and not a South Star is a transient phenomenon. If you wait many thousands of years the situation might be reversed.

September 2003, Christopher Springob (more by Christopher Springob)

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