Proxima Centauri | red dwarf star that is likely a part of the Alpha Centauri star system

Author: Leandro Alegsa Creation date: November 13, 2022

Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf star that is likely a part of the Alpha Centauri star system and is the closest star to the Sun at a distance of 4.22 light-years (3.99×10¹³ km; 2.48×10¹³ mi). It is in the constellation of Centaurus.

Proxima Centauri was found to share the same proper motion as Alpha Centauri in 1915 by Robert Innes while he was Director of the Union Observatory in Johannesburg, South Africa.

In 1951, Harlow Shapley said that Proxima Centauri was a flare star. Recorded photographs showed that the star became measurably brighter about 8% of the time, making it the most active flare star then found.

Questions and Answers

Q: What is Proxima Centauri?

A: Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf star that is likely a part of the Alpha Centauri star system and is the closest star to the Sun at a distance of 4.22 light-years (3.99×1013 km; 2.48×1013 mi).

Q: Where is Proxima Centauri located?

A: Proxima Centauri is in the constellation of Centaurus.

Q: Who discovered that Proxima Centauri shared the same proper motion as Alpha Centauri?

A: Robert Innes discovered that Proxima Centauri shared the same proper motion as Alpha Centauri in 1915 while he was Director of the Union Observatory in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Q: When did Harlow Shapley say that Proxima Centauri was a flare star?

A: Harlow Shapley said that Proxima Centauri was a flare star in 1951.

Q: How often does Proxima Centuari become measurably brighter?

A: Recorded photographs showed that Proxima Centuari becomes measurably brighter about 8% of the time, making it the most active flare star then found.

Q: How far away from Earth is Proximia Centuari?

A: The distance between Earth and Pr