Proxima Centauri - the nearest star

A small sky field with the nearest known star, Proxima Centauri, close to the centre. This object is cool and red and it is brighter on the near-infrared image (in the I-filter at 900 nm) to the left than on the red image (in the R-filter at 600 nm) to the right. The rapid motion is easy to perceive. The field measures 10 x 10 arcmin 2 ; North is up and East is left. Reproduced from the Digital Sky Survey (STScI Digitized Sky Survey, (C) 1993, 1994, AURA, Inc. all rights reserved - cf. http://archive.eso.org/dss/dss).

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso0232a
Type:Collage
Release date:29 November 2002
Related releases:eso0232
Size:1293 x 642 px

About the Object

Name:Proxima Centauri
Type:Milky Way : Star
Distance:4 light years
Category:Stars

Image Formats

Large JPEG
461.6 KB
Screensize JPEG
294.8 KB

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Infrared
I
900 nmDigitized Sky Survey 2
Optical
R
600 nmDigitized Sky Survey 2