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Physical Environment > Nearest Star |
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This site tells the story of the history of the universe. Click Earlier and Later to follow the story. Note: Many facts have been simplified to make them easier to understand. |
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The nearest star to us is, of course, the Sun. The next nearest star is Proxima Centauri in the constellation Centaurus. Proxima is a dim M star and is at a distance of 4.24 light years. This star is an eleventh magnitude star and so is too dim to be visible to the naked eye.
Proxima Centauri is, however, very close to the nearest visible star, which is Alpha Centauri, brightest star of the constellation Centaurus, at a distance of 4.34 light years. It is a visual binary star with an orbital period of 80 years. The two stars which make up this binary are of spectral types G and K and have a combined magnitude of -0.27. Alpha Centauri is also called by the Arabic name Rigil Kentaurus (sometimes Rigel, or shortened to Rigil Kent), which means "the foot of the Centaur". An alternative name is Toliman. Proxima and Alpha are thought to be associated by gravity because they have a similar motion in space.
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Physical Environment > Nearest Star |
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Basic Information |
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