Proxima Centauri

Proxima Centauri is a small, low-mass star located 4.2465 light-years away from the Sun in the southern constellation of Centaurus. Its Latin name means the 'nearest [star] of Centaurus'. It was discovered in 1915 by Robert Innes and is the nearest-known star to the Sun. With a quiescent apparent magnitude 11.13, it is too faint to be seen with the unaided eye. Proxima Centauri is a member of the Alpha Centauri star system, being identified as component Alpha Centauri C, and is 2.18° to the southwest of the Alpha Centauri AB pair. It is currently 12,950 AU from AB, which it orbits with a period of about 550,000 years. Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf star with a mass about 12.5% of the Sun's mass, and average density about 33 times that of the Sun. Because of Proxima Centauri's proximity to Earth, its angular diameter can be measured directly. Its actual diameter is about one-seventh the diameter of the Sun.

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Small star, mighty flares: ALMA shares new view of Proxima Centauri

Proxima Centauri Exhibits Extreme Flaring Activity, New ALMA Observations Show

The Extremely Large Telescope Could Sense the Hints of Life at Proxima Centauri in Just 10 Hours

New Video Shows How Tiny Spacecraft Will “Swarm” Proxima Centauri

New Video Shows How Tiny Spacecraft Will "Swarm" Proxima Centauri

New Video Shows How Tiny Spacecraft Will "Swarm" Proxima Centauri

A Concentrated Beam of Particles and Photons Could Push Us to Proxima Centauri

A Concentrated Beam of Particles and Photons Could Push Us to Proxima Centauri

Swarming Proxima Centauri: Coherent Picospacecraft Swarms Over Interstellar Distances

What a Swarm of Probes Can Teach Us About Proxima Centauri B

What a Swarm of Probes Can Teach Us About Proxima Centauri B

NASA just announced funding for 13 new "Innovative Advanced Concepts" under the NIAC program. They include a swarm of autonomous "gram-scale interstellar probes" designed to send back images of Proxima Centauri, and a sample return mission to Venus.

What Could the Extremely Large Telescope See at Proxima Centauri's Planet?

What Could the Extremely Large Telescope See at Proxima Centauri's Planet?

NASA Selects a Wild Plan to "Swarm" Proxima Centauri With Thousands of Tiny Probes

NASA Selects Bold Proposal to “Swarm” Proxima Centauri with Tiny Probes

NASA Selects Bold Proposal to "Swarm" Proxima Centauri with Tiny Probes

Swarming Proxima Centauri: Coherent Picospacecraft Swarms Over Interstellar Distances

Will Solar Panels Work at Proxima Centauri?

Will Solar Panels Work at Proxima Centauri?