Answer:
'brightness' and 'place' (?)
Step-by-step explanation:
You can tell the distance in both simple and complicated ways; for instance, some methods like using luminosity don't work for all stars*
quote for better understanding:
"Farther methods are usually based on identifying what type of star a given star is, and estimating its luminosity .."
"..We then measure its apparent brightness (how bright it looks)* and do some math to figure out how far away it is."
(more detailed quote):
"By knowing the actual brightness and comparing it to the apparent brightness seen from Earth (that is, by looking at how dim the star has become once its light reaches Earth), they can determine the distance to the star."
Alternatively by observing the position of the star or its place a similar technique is used:
quote:
"Earth orbits the Sun, so it is in a slightly different position in January than in July. Nearby stars will seem to slightly shift in position in our sky relative to far-away stars."
In conclusion-- luminosity is commonly how astronomers know that stars are not all the same distance away from us.