Future Orion (constellation)

animation showing orion s proper motion 50000 bc 50000 ad

orion located on celestial equator, not located due effects of precession of earth s axis. orion lies south of ecliptic, , happens lie on celestial equator because point on ecliptic corresponds june solstice close border of gemini , taurus, north of orion. precession carry orion further south, , ad 14000 orion far enough south become invisible latitude of great britain.

further in future, orion s stars gradually move away constellation due proper motion. however, orion s brightest stars lie @ large distance earth on astronomical scale—much farther away sirius, example. orion still recognizable long after of other constellations—composed of relatively nearby stars—have distorted new configurations, exception of few of stars exploding supernovae, example betelgeuse, predicted explode sometime in next million years.