Measuring the Vast Distances Between Stars

The average distance between two stars in the Milky Way is around 5 light-years, but the human eye's view of the night sky is a two-dimensional snapshot and doesn't accurately represent the actual distances between stars. The distance between stars varies considerably, with some stars being bound together and others being much farther apart than they appear. Stars are constantly moving, and while the Milky Way's gravitational pull keeps most stars from drifting too far apart, some stars can escape their home galaxies and drift alone in the vast voids between galaxies.