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In astronomy, peculiar motion refers to a star's actual movement after accounting for the Sun's motion. This is distinct from its observed proper motion, which is its apparent movement across the sky perpendicular to our line of sight. Radial velocity, on the other hand, measures a star's motion directly toward or away from us.123

By combining measurements of proper motion and radial velocity, astronomers can determine a star's complete space motion. This allows for a more accurate understanding of how stars move within the galaxy, independent of our own solar system's movement.31

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