Still Image (Now) Animation (30,000 Years)

The constellations Eridanus and Cetus contain a disproportionate number of nearby (and hence generally faster-moving) stars, such as Epsilon Eridani (distance 10.5 light years), Tau Ceti (distance 11.9 light years), Omicron² Eridani (distance 16.4 light years), and 82 G. Eridani (distance 19.8 light years). The animation runs for 30,000 years, enough time for stellar motions to alter the familiar shapes of these constellations. Most of the nearby stars move rapidly, in just a few thousand years, whereas the large majority of stars in the chart are more than 100 light years distant, and scarcely move at all during this time.