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After the arrival of the Hipparcos data, the distance to Polaris and consequent analysis of its Cepheid variation was controversial. The Hipparcos distance for Polaris was broadly but not universally adopted.

thumb|right|Stellar parallax is the basis for the [[parsec, which is the distance from the Sun to an astronomical object which has a parallax angle of one arcsecond. (1 AU and 1 pc are not to scale, 1 pc = about 206265 AU)]]

In 2018, Bond et al Although it was originally planned to limit Gaia's observations to stars fainter than magnitude 5.7, tests carried out during the commissioning phase indicated that Gaia could autonomously identify stars as bright as magnitude 3. When Gaia entered regular scientific operations in July 2014, it was configured to routinely process stars in the magnitude range 3 – 20. Beyond that limit, special procedures are used to download raw scanning data for the remaining 230 stars brighter than magnitude 3 (including Polaris at magnitude 2); methods to reduce and analyse these data are being developed; and it is expected that there will be "complete sky coverage at the bright end" with standard errors of "a few dozen μas".

Gaia DR2 does not include a parallax for Polaris A, but a distance inferred from Polaris B (magnitude 8.7) is (), somewhat further than most previous estimates and (in principle) considerably more accurate. There are known to be considerable systematic uncertainties in DR2.

Gaia DR3 significantly improved both the statistical and systematic uncertainties, although the latter remain numerous and on the order of ; the new estimate is () using the baseline parallax zeropoint correction. Multistar orbital solutions will become available, greatly aiding the study of Cepheids and Polaris, and in particular, may enable solving the outer AB orbit. the flag of the U.S. states of Alaska, Maine, and Minnesota, and the flag of the U.S. city of Duluth, Minnesota.

Vexillology

<gallery>

Flag of Nunavut.svg|Flag of Nunavut

Flag of Alaska.svg|Flag of Alaska

Flag of Minnesota.svg|Flag of Minnesota

Flag of Duluth, Minnesota.svg|Flag of Duluth, Minnesota

Flag of Maine.svg|Flag of Maine

Flag of Maine (1901–1909).svg|Flag of Maine (1901–1909)

Pan American Exposition Flag.svg|Flag of the Pan-American Exposition (1901)

Francis Leopold McClintock's sledge flag (1852–1854).svg|Sledge flag used by Francis Leopold McClintock in the Arctic (1852–1854)

</gallery>

Heraldry

<gallery>

Coat of arms of Nunavut.svg|Coat of arms of Nunavut

Seal of Minnesota.svg|Seal of Minnesota

Seal of Maine.svg|Seal of Maine

Utsjoki.vaakuna.svg|Coat of arms of Utsjoki

</gallery>

Ships

  • The Chinese spy ship Beijixing is named after Polaris.
  • USS Polaris is named after Polaris

<gallery>

UrsaMinorCC.jpg|Polaris is the brightest star in the constellation of Ursa Minor (upper right).

Ursa Major - Ursa Minor - Polaris.jpg|Big Dipper and Ursa Minor in relation to Polaris

Polaris star and companion.jpg|A view of Polaris in a small telescope. Polaris B is separated by 18 arc seconds from the primary star, Polaris A.

File:Integrated Flux Nebula Surrounding Polaris - Kush Chandaria.jpg|Polaris, its surrounding integrated flux nebula, and NGC188

</gallery>

See also

  • Extraterrestrial sky (for the pole stars of other celestial bodies)
  • List of nearest supergiants
  • Polar alignment
  • Sigma Octantis
  • Polaris Flare
  • Regiment of the North Pole

Notes

References