A constellation is a group of stars that appear close together in the sky from Earth's perspective, forming a recognizable pattern. However, it's important to remember that these stars are not actually close together in space. They just happen to lie in the same general direction as seen from our planet.

For example, the constellation Ursa Major (the Great Bear) is made up of stars that are actually very far apart.

It's also worth noting that the constellations we see are based on human interpretations of the patterns in the stars. Different cultures have different constellations, and the official constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) are just one way of dividing the sky.