"The sun and its retinue of planets drift as a group through the vast gulfs of space that separate the stars"

The imagery of the sun and its planets as a "retinue" conveys the idea of a royal procession, with the sun at the center, followed by its planets in harmonious orbit. This invokes a sense of order and unity within our solar system, emphasizing the gravitational cohesion that binds the planets to the sun. The word "drift" suggests a gentle, almost passive motion, reinforcing how this entire system moves as a single entity, not racing or charging, but serenely traversing space.

By stating the group "drifts as a group", the quote highlights the interconnected journey of not only the sun and the planets but also other bodies like moons, asteroids, and comets. All these objects collectively participate in a cosmic voyage, united by gravity and inertia, sharing a common path through the galaxy.

The phrase "vast gulfs of space that separate the stars" underscores the immensity of the distances involved. Stars, although they may appear close together as pinpricks of light in the night sky, are in reality separated by enormous expanses of mostly empty space. Our solar system is just one tiny oasis within these wide chasms, reinforcing the sense of cosmic isolation as well as the unity within the solar system itself. The journey described is not a solitary one for the sun alone, but a collective migration of all its satellites across millions of years.

This passage evokes both the majesty and the scale of the universe. It reminds us that our solar system is not stationary or isolated but is part of a much larger, dynamic galactic context. We, as inhabitants of Earth, share in this vast celestial motion, drifting with our sun and planetary companions amidst the immeasurable depths that separate us from the next nearest stars, emphasizing both our smallness and our connection to the wider cosmos.