From the ArcaMax Publishing, Vocabulary Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/vocabulary/s-572987-695435
cynosure \SY-nuh-shoor; SIN-uh-shoor\ (noun) - 1 : Anything to which
attention is strongly turned; a center of attraction. 2 : That which
serves to guide or direct. 3 : [Capitalized]. The northern
constellation Ursa Minor, which contains the North Star; also, the
North Star itself.
"She had been, of course, for some time the cynosure of many
neighbouring eyes, but had taken only the more pleasure in the
cynosure, none in the persons with her eyes, all of whom she regarded
as much below her." -- George MacDonald, 'Heather and Snow'
Cynosure derives from Latin cynosura, from Greek kunosoura, "dog's
tail, the constellation Ursa Minor," from kuon, kun-, "dog" + oura,
"tail."