What is the name of the star that is currently closest to the north celestial pole?
The closest bright star to the north celestial pole is Polaris. At magnitude 1.97 (variable), it is the brightest star in the Ursa Minor constellation (at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper asterism). As of October 2012 its declination is +89Â°19â²8â³ (at epoch J2000 it was +89Â°15â²51.2â³).t is consequently known as Polaris (from Latin stella polaris pole star). It was formerly sometimes known as Cynosura, from a time before it was the pole star, from its Greek name meaning dog's tail (as the constellation of Ursa Minor was interpreted as a dog, not a bear, in antiquity).