Difference between revisions of "Proxima Centauri"
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| − | Proxima (Alpha Centauri C) is a very cool and very dim, main sequence red dwarf. The star is located roughly a fifth of a light-year from the AB binary pair and, if gravitationally bound to it, may have an orbital period of around half a million years. According to Anosova et al (1994), however, its motion with respect to the AB pair is hyperbolic. | + | Proxima (Alpha Centauri C) is a very cool and very dim, main sequence red dwarf. The star is located roughly a fifth of a light-year from the [[Alpha_Centauri|AB binary pair]] and, if gravitationally bound to it, may have an orbital period of around half a million years. According to Anosova et al (1994), however, its motion with respect to the [[Alpha_Centauri|AB pair]] is hyperbolic. |
Like many red dwarfs, Proxima is a "Flare Star" that can brighten suddenly to many times its normal luminosity. Its flares can roughly double the star's brightness and occur sporadically from hour to hour. Moreover, more than one flare may be emitting at a time. From May to August 1995, several flares were observed with changes within a time-scale of weeks, and archival data suggests that the star may have a long-term activity cycle (Guinan and Morgan, 1996). Its designated variable star name is V645 Centauri. | Like many red dwarfs, Proxima is a "Flare Star" that can brighten suddenly to many times its normal luminosity. Its flares can roughly double the star's brightness and occur sporadically from hour to hour. Moreover, more than one flare may be emitting at a time. From May to August 1995, several flares were observed with changes within a time-scale of weeks, and archival data suggests that the star may have a long-term activity cycle (Guinan and Morgan, 1996). Its designated variable star name is V645 Centauri. | ||
Revision as of 02:20, 16 January 2010
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| Rigel Kentaurus C | |
| Stellar characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Centaurus |
| Right ascension (Epoch J2000) | 14h 29m 42.9487s |
| Declination (Epoch J2000) | -62° 40' 46.141" |
| Spectral type | M5.5 Ve |
| Distance from Sol | 4.243 ± 0.002 ly |
| Other designations | α Cen C, Alpha Centauri C, Proxima Cen, Proxima Centauri, CCDM J14396-6050C, GCTP 3278.00, GJ 551, HIP 70890, LFT 1110, LHS 49, LPM 526, LTT 5721, NLTT 37460, V645 Centauri |
Proxima (Alpha Centauri C) is a very cool and very dim, main sequence red dwarf. The star is located roughly a fifth of a light-year from the AB binary pair and, if gravitationally bound to it, may have an orbital period of around half a million years. According to Anosova et al (1994), however, its motion with respect to the AB pair is hyperbolic.
Like many red dwarfs, Proxima is a "Flare Star" that can brighten suddenly to many times its normal luminosity. Its flares can roughly double the star's brightness and occur sporadically from hour to hour. Moreover, more than one flare may be emitting at a time. From May to August 1995, several flares were observed with changes within a time-scale of weeks, and archival data suggests that the star may have a long-term activity cycle (Guinan and Morgan, 1996). Its designated variable star name is V645 Centauri.
Proxima Centauri is the closest star to Sol at a distance of 4.22 light-years.
(Boilerplate from SolStation.com)
