Polaris, also known as the North Star or Pole Star, appears relatively stationary in the night sky compared to other stars due to its position and alignment with the Earth's axis of rotation. There are a few key factors that contribute to this apparent lack of movement:
Proximity to the North Celestial Pole: Polaris is located very close to the North Celestial Pole, the point in the sky directly above the Earth's North Pole. As a result, it remains nearly fixed in its position relative to Earth's axis of rotation.
Earth's Axis of Rotation: The Earth rotates on an axis that passes through the North and South Poles. This rotational axis remains relatively stable over long periods, and as a result, the North Pole consistently points towards Polaris. Due to this alignment, Polaris appears almost stationary while the other stars seem to revolve around it in circular paths.
Effect of Parallax: Parallax is the apparent shift in the position of an object due to the observer's changing viewpoint. While all stars exhibit some degree of parallax, Polaris's relatively close distance to the North Celestial Pole minimizes this effect. The combination of its proximity to the celestial pole and the distance of other stars from the pole results in a smaller apparent motion for Polaris compared to other stars.
It is important to note that while Polaris appears relatively fixed from our perspective, it does have a slight motion known as precession. Over long periods of time (about 26,000 years), Earth's axis traces a circular path due to gravitational interactions with the Moon, Sun, and other celestial bodies. This gradual shift affects the apparent position of Polaris, and in about 14,000 years, the star Vega will become the North Star. However, for the timeframe of human observation, Polaris remains the prominent star close to the North Celestial Pole.