The appearance of stars not being perfectly aligned can be attributed to a number of factors. Firstly, stars are located at different distances from Earth and are moving through space at various speeds. This results in their apparent positions shifting over time in a process known as proper motion. Additionally, different stars are part of different galaxies or solar systems and are moving independent of each other, which contributes to their seemingly random placement across the night sky.
Moreover, Earth’s own movements contribute significantly to how we perceive star alignment. The Earth’s rotation on its axis causes stars to appear to move across the sky nightly, while its orbit around the Sun results in a gradual shift in the star’s positions over the course of a year, known as stellar parallax. This constant movement means that only at certain times and from certain locations on Earth will constellations appear in their “traditional” forms.
The curvature of space-time due to gravity, as described by Einstein’s theory of general relativity, can also alter the apparent positions of stars through gravitational lensing. This phenomenon occurs when light from a distant star is bent around a massive object, such as a galaxy or black hole, causing the star to appear in a different location than it really is.
Lastly, atmospheric conditions, such as refraction, can make stars appear to be in slightly different places as their light passes through Earth’s atmosphere. All these elements combined explain why stars are not seen as perfectly aligned from our perspective on Earth.