fixed star

Originally called thus to distinguish the stars that appear to have a fixed position on the firmament from the “wandering stars” – the planets.

fixed star (plural fixed stars)

1. (astronomy) Any star that is so distant that its movement, relative to others, is not perceptible; in practice, any star except the sun

• Used historically to differentiate stars from planets, comets, asteroids, meteors, and novae.

• faxed star