Proxima+Centauri+4B

=**Proxima Centauri**=


 * __Proxima Centauri Basics__**
 * Discovered in 1915 by Robert Innes - named it Proxima Centauri; Proxima means nearest to in Latin
 * Harlow Shapley determined it as a flare star in 1951
 * Also known as Alpha Centauri C
 * **COULD** be orbited by planet o brown dwarf but not yet determined

__**Proxima Centauri Location**__
 * Closest star to us (other than our sun)
 * 4.22 light years away; 268,000 AU; 25 trillion miles; 40 trillion kilometers
 * Located in the constellation of Centaurus
 * Possible member of Alpha Centauri star system
 * Closest neighbors are Alpha Centauri A and B (0.21 light years away)
 * Proxima Centauri and the sun are getting closer to each other at a rate of 16,000 m/s


 * __Proxima Centauri Characteristics__**
 * Spectral class = M[[image:http://www.solstation.com/images/hr2low.jpg align="right"]]
 * Tiny **Red Dwarf** star - small, cool main sequence star
 * Flare star - random changes occur in luminosity due to magnetic activity
 * 1/10 the size of our sun
 * Surface temperature = 3100 Celcius
 * Apparent Magnitude is 11, which means you can only see it with a telescope. We can't see it though because it is only visible in the southern hemisphere
 * Estimated 5-6 billion years old
 * Has an active chromopshere
 * Strong Magnesium II emission
 * Rotational period = estimated 31.5 days
 * 0.006% it's luminosity
 * 10,000X fainter than our sun
 * Not a good chance the star can have life - too dark and cold
 * Because it is so close, it has a big proper motion - amount of change in a stars position over time
 * Interior is completely convective - which means that energy is transferred to the exterior by the physical movement of plasma

(Proxima Centauri is the red star located in the center)


 * __Proxima Centauri's Fast Facts__**


 * **Distance** || 4.22 light years ||
 * **Spectral Type** || M5.5Ve ||
 * **Variable Type** || Flare Star ||
 * **Constellation** || Centaurus ||
 * **Apparent Magnitude** || 11.01 ||
 * **Absolute Magnitude** || 15.45 ||
 * **Temperature** || 3040 Kelvin ||
 * **Luminosity** || 1.38 × 10-4 or 0.000138 ||
 * **Mass [sun = 1]** || 0.11 solar mass ||
 * **Radius [sun = 1]** || 0.145 solar radius ||