3 hours

This represents the Earth’s rotation on its own axis—in other words, time! About 3 hours’ worth. The Earth’s extended axis points to a spot in the sky just one degree away from the North Star—hence the name. The Vikings, among others, knew that this star remained stationary in the sky and was positioned due north, making it perfect for navigation. The star is a supergiant and a Cepheid variable, located approximately 430–447 light-years from Earth. The term "North Star" is not permanent; rather, it refers to whichever star happens to be closest to the north celestial pole. Due to the wobbling of the Earth’s axis (precession), other stars have served as the North Star in the past, and new ones will take on this role in the future.