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Astronomy: the Alpha Centauri system
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The closest star system to our Sun is the Alpha Centauri system. The system contains three stars revolving around each other. The dimmest is called Proxima Centauri and is the nearest star at a distance of 4,22 lightyears. The bright stars Alpha Centauri A and B form a close binary at a distance of 4,39 lightyears, only separated from each other by 23 times the Earth - Sun distance. In the picture the brightness of the stars overwhelm the photograph causing an illusion of great size, even though the stars are really just small points of light. The Alpha Centauri system 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. By an exciting coincidence, Alpha Centauri A is the same type of star as our Sun, causing many to speculate that it might contain planets that harbor life. Related subjects>> Formation of planets in the Orion nebula>> First confirmed picture of an Exoplanet: 2M1207 >> Spacemap from Local Group to Earth >> the Sun |
 The three stars of Alpha Centauri |
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