star of greatest proper motion

E. E. Barnard discovered the star that still holds the record for the greatest proper motion in 1916, and it is known informally as Barnard's star in recognition. Its proper motion is 10.31 arcseconds per year. A star's proper motion is its real motion through space across our line of sight as projected onto the sky. It depends on the star's real velocity in the direction at right angles to the line joining it and the Sun, and also on its distance: even if a star is moving rapidly, its travel will not be apparent if it is at a very great distance. Barnard's star is one of the closest to the Sun - the next nearest after Proxima Centauri and the binary pair Alpha Centauri A and B. Barnard's star is also moving towards the Sun at 0.036 light years per century. In about 9000 years, it will be the nearest star in place of Proxima Centauri.