0
What evidence supports that proxima centauri is the closest star to the earth other than the sun?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
For stars closer than about 400 light years (LY), we can directly calculate the distance using trigonometry and the parallax shift of the "nearby" stars as compared to the more distant stars far away. By observing the nearby star at times 6 months apart, we have a "baseline" of 2 AU distance, and we can calculate the distance. The closer, the more accurate, of course. Since Proxima Centauri is only 4.2 LY away, our calculation is pretty much spot-on.
Beyond about 400 LY, our distance estimates are based on the difference between the relative magnitude of the star (how bright it looks to us) as compared to the "absolute magnitude", the brightness that we calculate based on the star's spectrum, size and color. So for the red supergiant star Betelgeuse, our estimated distance of 650 LY could be off 140 LY either way!
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What is the 2nd closest star not including the sun?
Proxima Centauri
Which is the closest star to earth not counting the sun?
The closest star to earth is the sun. The next closest is a red dwarf star called Proxima Centauri, much further away. The sun is around 8 minutes away at the speed of light, while Proxima Centauri is around 4.2 years away at the speed of light (light years).
What are biotic factors for Proxima Centauri?
Proxima Centauri is a star. It has no life forms.
Name the closest visible star outside the solar system How far away is it?
Proxima Centauri
What is the fourth nearest star to our solar system?
Proxima Centauri is the closest star to our Sun, at 4.2 LY. Curiously, even though it is the closest, it is not visible to the naked eye! Proxima Centauri is a tiny red dwarf star, and requires a fair-sized telescope to see. For a long time, many people thought that the closest star was Alpha Centauri, which isn't entirely incorrect. The Alpha Centauri system is actually a double star with a very distant triple; Alpha Centauri A (also known as Rigel Kent) and Alpha Centauri B form a binary system, and Proxima, Alpha Centauri C, is very distantly linked at about 0.3 LY.
How far is proxima centauri from your galaxy?
As the closest star to our sun, Proxima Centauri is in our galaxy.
What star is closest to the sun other than proxima centauri?
Alpha Centauri
What is the the 2nd closest star to the earth?
Proxima centauri
What star is closest to the Earth but is not the sun?
Proxima Centauri.
Closest Star system to earth?
Proxima Centauri.
What is the second closest star to mercury?
It is Proxima Centauri.
What star is closest to our solar sysytem?
proxima centauri.
What is the closest star to our planet besides the sun?
Proxima Centauri.. :)
What is the closest star to uranus besides the sun?
Proxima Centauri
What is the 2nd closest star not including the sun?
Proxima Centauri
What stars are near in the earth?
The Sun is the closest star. Next closest are the three stars of the Alpha Centauri system, of which the closest is Proxima Centauri.
How far is our closest star?
The nearest star to our sun, Proxima Centauri - is about five light years away.
