WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE NEAREST SOLAR SYSTEM TO OUR SOLAR SYSTEM?
Answers
Answer:
Alpha Centauri is the closest star system and closest planetary system to Earth's Solar System at 4.37 light-years (1.34 parsecs) from the Sun.
Explanation:
Answer:
Alpha Centauri
Explanation:
disambiguation).
Alpha Centauri AB[note 1]
Two bright stars against a dense background of fainter stars, with one of the fainter stars circled in red
Alpha Centauri AB is the bright star to the left, which forms a triple star system with Proxima Centauri, circled in red. The bright star system to the right is Beta Centauri.
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Centaurus
Alpha Centauri A
Right ascension 14h 39m 36.49400s[1]
Declination −60° 50′ 02.3737″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) +0.01[2]
Alpha Centauri B
Right ascension 14h 39m 35.06311s[1]
Declination −60° 50′ 15.0992″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) +1.33[2]
Characteristics
A
Spectral type G2V[3]
U−B colour index +0.24[2]
B−V colour index +0.71[2]
B
Spectral type K1V[3]
U−B colour index +0.68[2]
B−V colour index +0.88[2]
Astrometry
A
Radial velocity (Rv) −21.4±0.76[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −3679.25[1] mas/yr
Dec.: 473.67[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π) 754.81 ± 4.11[1] mas
Distance 4.37[5] ly
Absolute magnitude (MV) 4.38[6]
B
Radial velocity (Rv) −18.6±1.64[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −3614.39[1] mas/yr
Dec.: 802.98[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π) 754.81 ± 4.11[1] mas
Distance 4.37[5] ly
Absolute magnitude (MV) 5.71[6]
Details
Alpha Centauri A
Mass 1.100[7] M☉
Radius 1.2234±0.0053[8] R☉
Luminosity 1.519[7] L☉
Surface gravity (log g) 4.30[9] cgs
Temperature 5,790[7] K
Metallicity [Fe/H] 0.20[7] dex
Rotation 22±5.9 d[10]
Rotational velocity (v sin i) 2.7±0.7[10] km/s
Alpha Centauri B
Mass 0.907[7] M☉
Radius 0.8632±0.0037[8] R☉
Luminosity 0.5002[7] L☉
Surface gravity (log g) 4.37[9] cgs
Temperature 5,260[7] K
Metallicity 0.23[7]
Rotation 36[11] days
Rotational velocity (v sin i) 1.1±0.8[12] km/s
Age 5.3±0.3[13] Gyr
Orbit[14]
Primary A
Companion B
Period (P) 79.91±0.011 yr
Semi-major axis (a) 17.57±0.022″
Eccentricity (e) 0.5179±0.00076
Inclination (i) 79.205±0.041°
Longitude of the node (Ω) 204.85±0.084°
Periastron epoch (T) 1875.66±0.012
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary) 231.65±0.076°
Other designations
Gliese 559, FK5 538, CD−60°5483, CCDM J14396-6050, GC 19728
α Cen A: Rigil Kentaurus, Rigil Kent, α1 Centauri, HR 5459, HD 128620, GCTP 3309.00, LHS 50, SAO 252838, HIP 71683
α Cen B: Toliman, α2 Centauri, HR 5460, HD 128621, LHS 51, HIP 71681
Database references
SIMBAD AB
A
B
Exoplanet Archive data
ARICNS data
Extrasolar Planets
Encyclopaedia data
Alpha Centauri (Latinized from α Centauri, abbreviated Alpha Cen or α Cen) is the closest star system and closest planetary system to Earth's Solar System at 4.37 light-years (1.34 parsecs) from the Sun. It is a triple star system, consisting of three stars: α Centauri A (officially Rigil Kentaurus),[15] α Centauri B (officially Toliman),[15] and α Centauri C (officially Proxima Centauri).[15]
Alpha Centauri A and B are Sun-like stars (Class G and K), and together they form the binary star Alpha Centauri AB. To the naked eye, the two main components appear to be a single star with an apparent magnitude of −0.27, the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus and the third-brightest in the night sky, outshone only by Sirius and Canopus.
Alpha Centauri A has 1.1 times the mass and 1.519 times the luminosity of the Sun, while Alpha Centauri B is smaller and cooler, at 0.907 times the Sun's mass and 0.445 times its luminosity.[16] The pair orbit around a common centre with an orbital period of 79.91 years.[17] Their elliptical orbit is eccentric, so that the distance between A and B varies from 35.6 AU (astronomical units), or about the distance between Pluto and the Sun, to 11.2 AU, or about the distance between Saturn and the Sun.