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Proxima Centauri

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

A stunning image of Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our Solar System, shining brightly as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Our Closest Star Neighbor

Proxima Centauri is the closest star to our Earth after our own Sun. It lives about 4.25 light-years away from us, in the southern constellation called Centaurus. Even though it is very close, we need special tools to see it because it is very small and not very bright.

Proxima Centauri is a tiny star called a red dwarf. It is much smaller and dimmer than our Sun, but it has a lot of mass packed into a small space. Because it burns its fuel slowly, this star will keep shining for a very long time—about four trillion years!

Scientists have discovered that Proxima Centauri has at least three planets. One of these planets, called Proxima Centauri b, is about the size of Earth and is in a special area where liquid water might exist. Another planet, Proxima Centauri d, is very close to the star and very small. There might even be a third planet farther away, named Proxima Centauri c.

Because Proxima Centauri is the closest star to us, it is very exciting for scientists. They think one day we might be able to send tiny space probes to visit it and learn more about its planets. Even though it is close, it would still take a very long time to get there with today’s technology.

Images

An image showing the stars Alpha Centauri, Beta Centauri, and the distant red star Proxima Centauri in space.
Astronomical diagram showing the orbit of the star Proxima Centauri around the Alpha Centauri system over thousands of years.
A stellar map showing the positions of stars and brown dwarfs within 9 light-years of Earth, helping us understand their distance and location in space.
Diagram showing the orbits of planets around the star Proxima Centauri.
An educational diagram comparing the orbit of the planet Proxima b around its star Proxima Centauri with the orbits in our Solar System.
Diagram showing the location of the star Proxima Centauri in space.
A stunning view of the stars Alpha Centauri A and B, the closest star system to Earth, captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Related articles

Earth
Star
Sun
Light-year
Constellation
Centaurus

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Proxima Centauri, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.