Proxima Centauri
| Rigel Kentaurus C | |
 Proxima Centauri and other stars in the same field of view. | |
| 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 |
| Planets | One (Proxima I) Two (Proxima II) Three (Proxima III)[1] |
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)
Proxima Centauri System
The Proxima system was surveyed by the Trekkies during their Centauri surveys of 2009-11. The system held little of note, consisting of three planets, One, Two and Three.
One, Two and Three are all cyrogenic worlds; Three is an ice giant like Neptune, while One and Two are frozen rocks with a hydrocarbon crust not unlike Titan and Triton.
To date, no outposts or settlements have been placed in the Proxima system. The Federation maintains nominal control over Proxima, though the Roughriders have expressed interest in resource exploitation in the area.
Notes
- ↑ These names were submitted to the IAU by the Federation; they probably passed review because nobody wanted to waste or recycle good names on such unremarkable worlds
