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In most cases, however, the stars that we see that seem to be "close" to each other actually are quite far apart, some stars are much closer or farther than others as is shown in the example below of Ursa Major, the big dipper.

In the figure we imagine that we have travelled through space till we are about the same distance away as earth but from a different position in space. The stars in Ursa Major would change as is shown in the lower part of the picture.