How on earth will we say goodbye to Polaris? Like everything else in life, even the North Star changes. Due to axial precession — a slight wobble in Earth’s rotation — our North Star is not fixed. Over the 26,000-year cycle known as the Great Year, 11 stars will take turns guiding us, with one “near miss.”

Since 2015, artist George Ferrandi has honored these stars through Jump!Star, using Nebuta—a traditional Japanese technique for building monumental, illuminated sculptures of paper, wire, string and wood. Created with communities across the country, these sculptures form a ceremonial tradition that can be passed down to those who’ll witness the next North Star.

A selection will be featured in once more & hopeful stars. Ferrandi will also teach a seven-week course in conjunction with the exhibition, where ����TV students will help build a new sculpture in the gallery.

Student-Led Tours: Sept. 30 and Oct. 2, 12 p.m.
Tours led by art history majors and minors.

The Lore Degenstein Gallery is free and open to the public from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Sunday. The gallery is closed during university breaks; call  for an appointment when classes are not in session.