Final answer:
Rotation is the spinning of the Earth on its axis, which leads to day and night. Precession is the slow wobble of Earth's axis over a 26,000-year cycle, affecting the orientation of the axis and seasonal timing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The spinning of the Earth on its axis is known as rotation. This daily rotation is responsible for the day-night cycle experienced on the planet. However, in addition to rotation, the Earth experiences a slow, conical motion of its rotation axis called precession. Precession is similar to the wobbling motion of a spinning top and is caused by the gravitational torque applied by the Sun and Moon on Earth's equatorial bulge.
More specifically, Earth's precession has a cycle that takes approximately 26,000 years to complete. This causes the orientation of Earth's axis in space to change over time, which can alter the timing of the seasons and the star to which the Earth's axis points. Currently, Earth's axis points to Polaris, the North Star, but this will change over thousands of years due to precession.