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"
Alpha Centauri: The Closest Star System
01/01/2025
The closest star system to the Sun is the Alpha Centauri system. Of the three stars in the system, the dimmest -- called Proxima Centauri -- is actually the nearest star. The bright stars Alpha Centauri A and B form a close binary as they are separated by only 23 times the Earth- Sun distance - slightly greater than the distance between Uranus and the Sun. The Alphasystem is not visible in much of the northern hemisphere. Alpha Centauri A, also known as Rigil Kentaurus, is the brightest star in the constellation of Centaurus and is the fourth brightest star in the night sky. Sirius is the brightest even though it is more than twice as far away. By an exciting coincidence, Alpha Centauri A is the same type of star as our Sun, and Proxima Centauri is now known to have a potentially habitable exoplanet.