List of nearest stars

This list shows all the stars, white dwarfs, brown dwarfs, and sub-brown dwarfs/rogue planets that are within 20 light-years of our Sun. So far, scientists have found 131 of these objects. Only 22 of them are bright enough to see without a telescope. These objects are grouped into 94 different stellar systems. Most of these are small, cool stars called red dwarfs, but there are also bigger stars, white dwarfs, brown dwarfs, and one special object called WISE 0855−0714, which might be a rogue planet.

The closest star system to us is Alpha Centauri, and within that system, the closest individual star is Proxima Centauri, located about 4.25 light-years away. The brightest star among these nearby objects is Sirius A, which is also the brightest star in our night sky. Another interesting star is Procyon, which is the largest object within this 20-light-year range.

All these stars and other objects are moving together in a region of space called the Local Interstellar Cloud, which is inside an even larger area known as the Local Bubble. This bubble is part of the Orion Arm, one of the spiral arms of our Milky Way galaxy. The Local Bubble contains well-known groups of stars such as Ursa Major and the Hyades star cluster.

Astrometrics

The easiest way to figure out how far stars are from the Sun is by using a method called parallax. This measures how much stars seem to shift position as Earth moves around the Sun. Stars that are close enough will show a noticeable shift.

Scientists use a telescope called the Gaia to track stars' movements. They predict that about 694 stars will come close to our Solar System in the next 15 million years. Some might even get as close as 1 light-year away. One star, called Gliese 710, might pass very close to the Sun in about 1.3 million years, which could affect objects far out in our Solar System.

List

The stars and brown dwarfs in this list are shown in colors based on their types. Many brown dwarfs are very dim in visible light, so their brightness is measured using infrared light instead. Absolute magnitude tells us how bright these objects would appear if they were all the same distance from us, in empty space without any dust or gas blocking the light. Some of the distances to these objects are estimates based on rough measurements.

Distant future and past encounters

Over long periods, stars move slowly, changing their positions and distances from us. Scientists can predict how stars will move using careful measurements of their positions and speeds. One star, Gliese 710, is expected to come very close to our Solar System in the distant future. Currently about 62 light-years away, it is predicted to pass very near the Sun in about 1.4 million years. Recent data suggests it might come even closer than previously thought, potentially affecting objects far out in space. These predictions help us understand how our solar neighborhood might change over millions of years.