What is Epsilon Eridani?
Q: What is Epsilon Eridani?
A: Epsilon Eridani (ε Eri, ε Eridani) is a star in the southern constellation Eridanus, just south of the celestial equator. It can be seen from most of Earth's surface.
Q: How far away is Epsilon Eridani?
A: Epsilon Eridani is 10.5 light years (ly) away from Earth.
Q: What is the apparent magnitude of Epsilon Eridani?
A: The apparent magnitude of Epsilon Eridani is 3.73.
Q: Is there a planet orbiting around Epsilon Eridani?
A: Yes, there is a planet orbiting around Epsilon Eridani called Epsilon Eridani b which was announced in 2000 and orbits in about 7 years at about 3.4 astronomical units (AU) away from its star.
Q: Is there any evidence for other planets or objects in the system?
A: Yes, there are two belts of rocky asteroids - one at about 3 AU and a second at about 20 AU - as well as an extensive outer debris disk of remnant planetesimals left over from the system's formation which may suggest that another hypothetical planet exists called Epsilon Eridani c which maintains their structure.
Q: Does it have any relation to other stars or clusters?
A: Yes, it may be part of Ursa Major Moving Group which suggests they share a common origin in an open star cluster and will have a close encounter with Luyten 726-8 binary star system in 31,500 years when they will be separated by 0.93 ly apart.
Q: Has it been used for SETI searches or interstellar travel stories? A:Yes, it has been used for SETI searches and appears in science fiction stories as suggested destination for interstellar travel
