Proxima Centauri

Definition

Proxima Centauri is the closest known star to the Sun, located approximately 4.24 light-years away in the Alpha Centauri star system. It is a red dwarf and part of a triple star system.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Proxima Centauri's distance from Earth is approximately 4.24 light-years or $4.0 \times 10^{13}$ kilometers.
2. Being a red dwarf, Proxima Centauri has a lower luminosity than our Sun, making it less visible to the naked eye.
3. Its name, 'Proxima,' signifies its status as the nearest star to our solar system.
4. Proxima Centauri exhibits flare activity that can be modeled using exponential functions for predicting intensity over time.
5. The concept of distance to Proxima Centauri can be used to illustrate logarithmic scales in measuring astronomical distances.

Review Questions

• What type of star is Proxima Centauri and how far is it from Earth?
• How does Proxima Centauri's luminosity compare with that of the Sun?
• Explain how exponential functions might be used to model flare activity on Proxima Centauri.

Related terms

Light-Year: A unit of distance equivalent to the distance that light travels in one year, approximately $9.46 \times 10^{12}$ kilometers.

Red Dwarf: A small and relatively cool star on the main sequence, typically with low luminosity.

Luminosity: $L$ represents the total amount of energy emitted by a star per unit time; often measured in watts or compared to the Sun's output.