A science fiction writer, writing a story about inhabitants on Earth in 14,000 A.D. who have survived a disaster that included the loss of modern navigational aids, describes them traveling due north across barren wastes by walking toward Polaris, the pole star. What is wrong with this situation?
A) Polaris will have moved away from due north since it is moving rapidly with respect to surrounding stars.
B) Polaris will no longer be due north because of Earth's precession.
C) By that time, Polaris will be due south, not due north, because of the reversal of Earth's spin axis.
D) Polaris will no longer be visible since its lifetime is only a few thousand years.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Polaris will no longer be due north because of Earth's precession, which gradually changes the position of the Earth's axis in space, altering the apparent position of stars in the sky over long periods.

A Science Fiction Writer, Writing a Story About Inhabitants on Earth