Proxima Centauri
Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf star situated in the constellation Centaurus, approximately 4.2 light-years from Earth. It is the closest known star to the Sun and is part of the Alpha Centauri star system. Proxima Centauri is not visible to the naked eye due to its low luminosity.
Source: science.nasa.gov
APODs including "Proxima Centauri"
The Nearest Stars
18/03/2001
Which stars are closest to the Sun? The closest is Proxima Centauri, one of three stars that orbit each other about 4 light-years away in the Alpha-Centauri system. Alpha Centauri is easily visible from Earth's Southern Hemisphere. Next is Barnard's Star, a dim star visible with a telescope in the constellation of Ophiuchus. Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, is part of the fifth closest star system, from which light takes 8.6 years to reach us. The nearest 25 star systems are shown on the above map, out to 13 light-years. Past that there are probably stars so dim that their proximity has not yet been discovered. Research continues in trying to identify an estimated 130 missing star systems out to 32 light-years.