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Name: kristina matarazzo
Status: N/A
Age: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 1993 - 1999
Question:
Why do stars always stay in the same place. For example, I can always find the constellations. Why don't the stars change into other constellations?

Replies:
Stars seem to stay in the same place for a long time, long compared to our lifetime. This happens because of the large distance that separates us from the stars. We can observe only changes in the angular position of stars. An object at distance D will appear to move by one degree across the sky if it move s a distance D/60. For a star at a distance of few light years from us, this displacement is also of the order of a light year. Given the average velocity of stars, this distance will be covered in a few thousand years So these two reasons contribute, large distance to stars and small relative velocity of stars, in making stars appear stationary.

Jasjeet


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