The Closest Stars To Earth

Star: Proxima Centauri

Distance: 4.35 Lightyears

Star System: Alpha Centauri

As the third star in the Alpha Centauri System, Proxima Centauri is our closest stellar neighbor. Proxima Centauri orbits a massive main sequence star Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B in the constellation Centaurus. Proxima Centauri also has an orbiting planet that was detected in 2016.

Second Closest Star To Earth

Star: Barnard Star

Distance: 5.9 Light Years

 Barnard star is the fourth closest star to earth, its distance is just a little farther than Alpha Centauri. Being an m-type star it's too faint to see without a telescope. This star has been studied by astronomers for years and is known to have the largest proper motion out of any star relative to earth.

Third Closest Star To Earth

Star: Luhman 16

Distance: 6.5 Light Years

Constellation: Vela

This star system contains two brown dwarf stars in close proximity to each other and is located in the southern constellation of Vela. This is the third closest star to our own sun after Alpha Centauri and Barnard's star. Luhman 16 is the second closest binary to our sun as well and the two stars share a close orbit of about three times as far as the earth and sun.

Fourth Closest Star To Earth

Star: Wise 0855-0714

Distance: 7.2 Light Years

Constellation: Hydra

This sub-brown dwarf star was discovered in 2013 and confirmed Spitzer Space Telescope. Wise 0855-0714 is on the small side for a star because it is only 3-10 Mjup.

Fifth Closest Star To Earth

Star: Wolf 359

Distance: 7.8 Light Years

Constellation: Leo 

This fairly bright star is found in the constellation of Leo. With an estimated mass of only 9% of our own sun Wolf 359 is the fifth closest star to the earth.

 

Sixth Closest Star To Earth

Star: Lalande 21185

Distance: 8.3 Light Years

Constellation: Ursa Major

Lalande 21185 is also a red dwarf star, being about half the mass of our own sun, this star is a classical main sequence m-dwarf star. It has a much cooler temperature than a sunlike type G star and radiates light only in the infrared wavelength. Lalande 21185 is the sixth closest star to the earth. We've noticed a few possible planets in this system however, there still seems to be the question: does Lalande 21185 have an inner planet we haven't found yet?

Seventh Closest Star To Earth

Star: Sirius

Distance: 8.3 Light Years

Constellation: Canis Major 

Apparent Magnitude: -1.46

Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky! It's also a known binary-star system. These two stars orbit at a distance of about 20 AU from each other in the constellation Canis Major.

Eighth Closest Star To Earth

Star: Luyten 726-8

Distance: 8.7 Light Years

Constellation: Cetus

Luyten 726-8 is another binary star system, it is the seventh closest star system to earth. This star system was discovered by the Dutch-American astronomer Willem Jacob Luyten while he was working on cataloging high proper motion stars. The two stars in this system both show increases in brightness.

Ninth Closest Star To Earth

Star:  Ross 154

Distance: 9.6 lightyears

Constellation: Saggitarius

Ross 154 is located in Sagittarius and is the ninth star closest to our earth. This m-dwarf star is about 17% mass sol, 24% radius sol, and 40% as luminous as the sun.

Image Courtesy: Alchetron

Tenth Closest Star To Earth

Star:  Ross 248

Distance: 10.3 light-years

Constellation: Andromeda

Ross 248 is also known as HH Andromedae or Gliese 905. Ross 248 is about 14% mass sol, 19% radius sol, and 20% as luminous. The earth and Ross 248 are actually drifting closer together slowly over time.

Image Courtesy: FrontierAstro