Barnard
Definition
Barnard's Star is a red dwarf located in the constellation Ophiuchus, and it is one of the closest stars to the Solar System. It is named after American astronomer Edward Emerson Barnard, who discovered its high proper motion in 1916.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
- Barnard's Star has one of the highest known proper motions of any star, moving at about 10.3 arcseconds per year.
- It is approximately 5.96 light-years away from Earth, making it the fourth closest known individual star to the Sun.
- Barnard's Star is much older than our Sun, with an estimated age of 7-12 billion years.
- Its apparent magnitude is around +9.5, which means it cannot be seen with the naked eye but can be observed with binoculars or a small telescope.
- In studies of cosmic dust and interstellar medium, Barnard's Star serves as a reference point due to its proximity and well-studied characteristics.
Review Questions
- What makes Barnard's Star notable in terms of its motion relative to other stars?
- How far away is Barnard's Star from Earth?
- Why can't Barnard's Star be seen with the naked eye despite being relatively close to our Solar System?
"Barnard" appears in:
Study guides (1)
Related terms
Red Dwarf: The most common type of star in the Milky Way galaxy, characterized by low mass and low luminosity.
Proper Motion: The apparent angular movement of a star across the sky as observed from Earth over time.
Interstellar Medium: The matter that exists in the space between star systems in a galaxy, composed mainly of gas and cosmic dust.
