Astronomy:Alpha Centauri
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![]() Alpha Centauri AB (left) forms a triple star system with Proxima Centauri, circled in red. The bright star system to the right is Beta Centauri. | |
Observation data {{#ifeq:J2000.0|J2000.0 (ICRS)|Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)| [[History:Epoch|Epoch J2000.0]] [[Astronomy:Equinox (celestial coordinates)|Equinox J2000.0}} | |
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Constellation | Centaurus |
Alpha Centauri A | |
Right ascension | 14h 39m 36.49400s[1] |
Declination | −60° 50′ 02.3737″ |
Apparent magnitude (V) | +0.01[2] |
Alpha Centauri B | |
Right ascension | 14h 39m 35.06311s[1] |
Declination | −60° 50′ 15.0992″ |
Apparent magnitude (V) | +1.33[2] |
Characteristics | |
A | |
Spectral type | G2V[3] |
U−B color index | +0.24[citation needed] |
B−V color index | +0.71[2] |
B | |
Spectral type | K1V[3] |
U−B color index | +0.68[citation needed] |
B−V color index | +0.88[2] |
Astrometry | |
A | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | −21.4±0.76 [4] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: −3679.25[1] mas/yr Dec.: 473.67[1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 750.81 ± 0.38[5] mas |
Distance | 4.344 ± 0.002 ly (1.3319 ± 0.0007 pc) |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | 4.38[6] |
B | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | −18.6±1.64[4] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: −3614.39[1] mas/yr Dec.: +802.98[1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 750.81 ± 0.38[5] mas |
Distance | 4.344 ± 0.002 ly (1.3319 ± 0.0007 pc) |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | 5.71[6] |
Orbit[5] | |
Primary | A |
Companion | B |
Period (P) | 79.762±0.019 yr |
Semi-major axis (a) | 17.493±0.0096″ |
Eccentricity (e) | 0.51947±0.00015 |
Inclination (i) | 79.243±0.0089° |
Longitude of the node (Ω) | 205.073±0.025° |
Periastron epoch (T) | 1875.66±0.012 |
Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | 231.519±0.027° |
Details | |
Alpha Centauri A | |
Mass | 1.0788±0.0029[5] M☉ |
Radius | 1.2175±0.0055[5] R☉ |
Luminosity | 1.5059±0.0019[5] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | 4.30[7] cgs |
Temperature | 5,790[citation needed] K |
Metallicity [Fe/H] | <0.20[citation needed] dex |
Rotation | 28.3±0.5 d[8] |
Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 2.7±0.7[9] km/s |
Age | 4.85 Gyr |
Alpha Centauri B | |
Mass | 0.9092±0.0025[5] M☉ |
Radius | 0.8591±0.0036[5] R☉ |
Luminosity | 0.4981±0.0007[5] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | 4.37[7] cgs |
Temperature | 5,260[citation needed] K |
Rotation | 36.7±0.3 d[10] |
Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 1.1±0.8[11] km/s |
Age | 5.3±0.3[12] Gyr |
Other designations | |
Gliese 559, FK5 538, CD−60°5483, CCDM J14396-6050, GC 19728 | |
α Cen A: Rigil Kentaurus, Rigil Kent, α1 Centauri, HR 5459, HD 128620, GCTP 3309.00, LHS 50, SAO 252838, HIP 71683 | |
α Cen B: Toliman, α2 Centauri, HR 5460, HD 128621, LHS 51, HIP 71681 | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | AB |
A | |
B | |
Exoplanet Archive | data |
ARICNS | data |
Extrasolar Planets Encyclopaedia | data |
Alpha Centauri (α Centauri, Alpha Cen, or α Cen) is a triple star system in the southern constellation of Centaurus. It consists of three stars: Rigil Kentaurus (Alpha Centauri A), Toliman (B) and Proxima Centauri (C).[13] Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun at 4.2465 light-years (1.3020 pc).
Alpha Centauri A and B are Sun-like stars (Class G and K, respectively) that together form the binary star system Alpha Centauri AB. To the naked eye, these two main components appear to be a single star with an apparent magnitude of −0.27. It is the brightest star in the constellation and the third-brightest in the night sky, outshone by only Sirius and Canopus.
Alpha Centauri A has 1.1 times the mass and 1.5 times the luminosity of the Sun, while Alpha Centauri B is smaller and cooler, at 0.9 solar mass and less than 0.5 solar luminosity.[14] The pair orbit around a common centre with an orbital period of 79 years.[15] Their elliptical orbit is eccentric, so that the distance between A and B varies from 35.6 astronomical units (AU), or about the distance between Pluto and the Sun, to 11.2 AU, or about the distance between Saturn and the Sun.
Alpha Centauri C, or Proxima Centauri, is a small faint red dwarf (Class M). Though not visible to the naked eye, Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun at a distance of 4.24 ly (1.30 pc), slightly closer than Alpha Centauri AB. Currently, the distance between Proxima Centauri and Alpha Centauri AB is about 13,000 astronomical unit|AU (0.21 ly),[16] equivalent to about 430 times the radius of Neptune's orbit.
Proxima Centauri has two confirmed planets: Proxima b, an Earth-sized planet in the habitable zone discovered in 2016, and Proxima d, a candidate sub-Earth which orbits very closely to the star, announced in 2022.[17] The existence of Proxima c, a mini-Neptune 1.5 AU away discovered in 2019, is controversial.[18] Alpha Centauri A may have a Neptune-sized planet in the habitable zone, though it is not yet known with certainty to be planetary in nature and could be an artifact of the discovery mechanism.[19] Alpha Centauri B has no known planets: planet Bb, purportedly discovered in 2012, was later disproven,[20] and no other planet has yet been confirmed.
Etymology and nomenclature
α Centauri (Latinised to Alpha Centauri) is the system's designation given by Johann Bayer in 1603. It bears the traditional name Rigil Kentaurus, which is a Latinisation of the Arabic name رجل القنطورس Rijl al-Qinṭūrus, meaning 'the Foot of the Centaur'.[21][22] The name is frequently abbreviated to Rigil Kent or even Rigil, though the latter name is better known for Rigel (Beta Orionis).[23]
An alternative name found in European sources, Toliman, is an approximation of the Arabic الظليمان aẓ-Ẓalīmān (in older transcription, aṭ-Ṭhalīmān), meaning 'the (two male) Ostriches', an appellation Zakariya al-Qazwini had applied to Lambda and Mu Sagittarii, also in the southern hemisphere.[24]
A third name that has been used is Bungula (/ˈbʌŋɡjuːlə/). Its origin is not known, but it may have been coined from the Greek letter beta (β) and Latin ungula 'hoof'.[23]
Alpha Centauri C was discovered in 1915 by Robert T. A. Innes,[25] who suggested that it be named Proxima Centaurus,[26] from la 'the nearest [star] of Centaurus'.[27] The name Proxima Centauri later became more widely used and is now listed by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) as the approved proper name.[28][29]
In 2016, the Working Group on Star Names of the IAU,[13] having decided to attribute proper names to individual component stars rather than to multiple systems,[30] approved the name Rigil Kentaurus (/ˈraɪdʒəl kɛnˈtɔːrəs/) as being restricted to Alpha Centauri A and the name Proxima Centauri (/ˈprɒksɪmə sɛnˈtɔːraɪ/) for Alpha Centauri C.[31] On 10 August 2018, the IAU approved the name Toliman (/ˈtɒlɪmæn/) for Alpha Centauri B.[32]
Observation
To the naked eye, Alpha Centauri AB appears to be a single star, the brightest in the southern constellation of Centaurus.[33] Their apparent angular separation varies over about 80 years between 2 and 22 arcseconds (the naked eye has a resolution of 60 arcsec),[34] but through much of the orbit, both are easily resolved in binoculars or small telescopes.[35] At −0.27 apparent magnitude (combined for A and B magnitudes ), Alpha Centauri is a first-magnitude star and is fainter only than Sirius and Canopus.[33] It is the outer star of The Pointers or The Southern Pointers,[35] so called because the line through Beta Centauri (Hadar/Agena),[36] some 4.5° west,[35] points to the constellation Crux—the Southern Cross.[35] The Pointers easily distinguish the true Southern Cross from the fainter asterism known as the False Cross.[37]
South of about 29° South latitude, Alpha Centauri is circumpolar and never sets below the horizon.[note 2] North of about 29° N latitude, Alpha Centauri never rises. Alpha Centauri lies close to the southern horizon when viewed from the 29° North latitude to the equator (close to Hermosillo and Chihuahua City in Mexico; Galveston, Texas; Ocala, Florida; and Lanzarote, the Canary Islands of Spain ), but only for a short time around its culmination.[36] The star culminates each year at local midnight on 24 April and at local 9 p.m. on 8 June.[36][38]
As seen from Earth, Proxima Centauri is 2.2° southwest from Alpha Centauri AB; this distance is about four times the angular diameter of the Moon.[39] Proxima Centauri appears as a deep-red star of a typical apparent magnitude of 11.1 in a sparsely populated star field, requiring moderately sized telescopes to be seen. Listed as V645 Cen in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars Version 4.2, this UV Ceti star or "flare star" can unexpectedly brighten rapidly by as much as 0.6 magnitude at visual wavelengths, then fade after only a few minutes.[40] Some amateur and professional astronomers regularly monitor for outbursts using either optical or radio telescopes.[41] In August 2015, the largest recorded flares of the star occurred, with the star becoming 8.3 times brighter than normal on 13 August, in the B band (blue light region).[42]
Alpha Centauri may be inside the G-cloud of the Local Bubble,[43] and its nearest known system is the binary brown dwarf system Luhman 16, at 3.6 light-years (1.1 parsecs) from Alpha Centauri.[44]
Observational history
![Large fuzzy white disk against a background of stars](/wiki/images/thumb/c/c6/The_bright_star_Alpha_Centauri_and_its_surroundings.jpg/250px-The_bright_star_Alpha_Centauri_and_its_surroundings.jpg)
Alpha Centauri is listed in the 2nd-century Almagest, the star catalog of Ptolemy. He gave its ecliptic coordinates, but texts differ as to whether the ecliptic latitude reads 44° 10′ South or 41° 10′ South.[45] (Presently the ecliptic latitude is 43.5° South, but it has decreased by a fraction of a degree since Ptolemy's time due to proper motion.) In Ptolemy's time, Alpha Centauri was visible from Alexandria, Egypt, at 31° N, but, due to precession, its declination is now –60° 51′ South, and it can no longer be seen at that latitude. English explorer Robert Hues brought Alpha Centauri to the attention of European observers in his 1592 work Tractatus de Globis, along with Canopus and Achernar, noting:
Now, therefore, there are but three Stars of the first magnitude that I could perceive in all those parts which are never seene here in England . The first of these is that bright Star in the sterne of Argo which they call Canobus [Canopus]. The second [Achernar] is in the end of Eridanus. The third [Alpha Centauri] is in the right foote of the Centaure.[46]
The binary nature of Alpha Centauri AB was recognized in December 1689 by Jean Richaud, while observing a passing comet from his station in Puducherry. Alpha Centauri was only the second binary star to be discovered, preceded by Acrux.[47]
The large proper motion of Alpha Centauri AB was discovered by Manuel John Johnson, observing from Saint Helena, who informed Thomas Henderson at the Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope of it. The parallax of Alpha Centauri was subsequently determined by Henderson from many exacting positional observations of the AB system between April 1832 and May 1833. He withheld his results, however, because he suspected they were too large to be true, but eventually published them in 1839 after Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel released his own accurately determined parallax for 61 Cygni in 1838.[48] For this reason, Alpha Centauri is sometimes considered as the second star to have its distance measured because Henderson's work was not fully acknowledged at first.[48] (The distance of Alpha Centauri from the Earth is now reckoned at 4.396 light-years or 4.159×1013 km.)
![Two white disks side by side, each with coloured fringes and prominent diffraction spikes](/wiki/images/thumb/3/31/Best_image_of_Alpha_Centauri_A_and_B.jpg/250px-Best_image_of_Alpha_Centauri_A_and_B.jpg)
Later, John Herschel made the first micrometrical observations in 1834.[50] Since the early 20th century, measures have been made with photographic plates.[51]
By 1926, William Stephen Finsen calculated the approximate orbit elements close to those now accepted for this system.[52] All future positions are now sufficiently accurate for visual observers to determine the relative places of the stars from a binary star ephemeris.[53] Others, like D. Pourbaix (2002), have regularly refined the precision of new published orbital elements.[15]
Robert T. A. Innes discovered Proxima Centauri in 1915 by blinking photographic plates taken at different times during a proper motion survey. These showed large proper motion and parallax similar in both size and direction to those of Alpha Centauri AB, which suggested that Proxima Centauri is part of the Alpha Centauri system and slightly closer to Earth than Alpha Centauri AB. As such, Innes concluded that Proxima Centauri was the closest star to Earth yet discovered.
Kinematics
![Series of partial circles centred on a small yellow disk labelled "Sun", each circle labelled with a distance, and several other small disks labelled with the names of stars.](/wiki/images/thumb/8/88/PIA18003-NASA-WISE-StarsNearSun-20140425-2.png/250px-PIA18003-NASA-WISE-StarsNearSun-20140425-2.png)
All components of Alpha Centauri display significant proper motion against the background sky. Over centuries, this causes their apparent positions to slowly change.[54] Proper motion was unknown to ancient astronomers. Most assumed that the stars were permanently fixed on the celestial sphere, as stated in the works of the philosopher Aristotle.[55] In 1718, Edmond Halley found that some stars had significantly moved from their ancient astrometric positions.[56]
In the 1830s, Thomas Henderson discovered the true distance to Alpha Centauri by analysing his many astrometric mural circle observations.[57][58] He then realised this system also likely had a high proper motion.[59][60][52] In this case, the apparent stellar motion was found using Nicolas Louis de Lacaille's astrometric observations of 1751–1752,[61] by the observed differences between the two measured positions in different epochs.
Calculated proper motion of the centre of mass for Alpha Centauri AB is about 3620 mas/y (milliarcseconds per year) toward the west and 694 mas/y toward the north, giving an overall motion of 3686 mas/y in a direction 11° north of west.[62][note 3] The motion of the centre of mass is about 6.1 arcmin each century, or 1.02° each millennium. The speed in the western direction is 23.0 km/s (14.3 mi/s) and in the northerly direction 4.4 km/s (2.7 mi/s). Using spectroscopy the mean radial velocity has been determined to be around 22.4 km/s (13.9 mi/s) towards the Solar System.[62] This gives a speed with respect to the Sun of 32.4 km/s (20.1 mi/s), very close to the peak in the distribution of speeds of nearby stars.[63]
Since Alpha Centauri AB is almost exactly in the plane of the Milky Way as viewed from Earth, many stars appear behind it. In early May 2028, Alpha Centauri A will pass between the Earth and a distant red star, when there is a 45% probability that an Einstein ring will be observed. Other conjunctions will also occur in the coming decades, allowing accurate measurement of proper motions and possibly giving information on planets.[62]
Predicted future changes
Based on the system's common proper motion and radial velocities, Alpha Centauri will continue to change its position in the sky significantly and will gradually brighten. For example, in about 6,200 AD, α Centauri's true motion will cause an extremely rare first-magnitude stellar conjunction with Beta Centauri, forming a brilliant optical double star in the southern sky.[64] It will then pass just north of the Southern Cross or Crux, before moving northwest and up towards the present celestial equator and away from the galactic plane. By about 26,700 AD, in the present-day constellation of Hydra, Alpha Centauri will reach perihelion at 0.90 pc or 2.9 ly away,[65] though later calculations suggest that this will occur in 27,000 AD.[66] At nearest approach, Alpha Centauri will attain a maximum apparent magnitude of −0.86, comparable to present-day magnitude of Canopus, but it will still not surpass that of Sirius, which will brighten incrementally over the next 60,000 years, and will continue to be the brightest star as seen from Earth (other than the Sun) for the next 210,000 years.[67]
Stellar system
Alpha Centauri is a triple star system, with its two main stars, Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B, together comprising a binary component. The AB designation, or older A×B, denotes the mass centre of a main binary system relative to companion star(s) in a multiple star system.[68] AB-C refers to the component of Proxima Centauri in relation to the central binary, being the distance between the centre of mass and the outlying companion. Because the distance between Proxima (C) and either of Alpha Centauri A or B is similar, the AB binary system is sometimes treated as a single gravitational object.[69]
Orbital properties
![Graphic image of a near-circle and a narrow ellipse labelled respectively as "B's real trajectory" and "B's apparent trajectory", with years marked along portions of the ellipses.](/wiki/images/thumb/e/ee/Orbit_Alpha_Centauri_AB_arcsec.png/250px-Orbit_Alpha_Centauri_AB_arcsec.png)
The A and B components of Alpha Centauri have an orbital period of 79.762 years.[5] Their orbit is moderately eccentric, as it has an eccentricity of almost 0.52;[5] their closest approach or periastron is 11.2 AU (1.68×10 9 km), or about the distance between the Sun and Saturn; and their furthest separation or apastron is 35.6 AU (5.33×10 9 km), about the distance between the Sun and Pluto.[15] The most recent periastron was in August 1955 and the next will occur in May 2035; the most recent apastron was in May 1995 and will next occur in 2075.
Viewed from Earth, the apparent orbit of A and B means that their separation and position angle (PA) are in continuous change throughout their projected orbit. Observed stellar positions in 2019 are separated by 4.92 arcsec through the PA of 337.1°, increasing to 5.49 arcsec through 345.3° in 2020.[15] The closest recent approach was in February 2016, at 4.0 arcsec through the PA of 300°.[15][71] The observed maximum separation of these stars is about 22 arcsec, while the minimum distance is 1.7 arcsec.[52] The widest separation occurred during February 1976, and the next will be in January 2056.[15]
Alpha Centauri C is about 13,000 AU (0.21 ly; 1.9×10 12 km) from Alpha Centauri AB, equivalent to about 5% of the distance between Alpha Centauri AB and the Sun.[16][39][51] Until 2017, measurements of its small speed and its trajectory were of too little accuracy and duration in years to determine whether it is bound to Alpha Centauri AB or unrelated.
Radial velocity measurements made in 2017 were precise enough to show that Proxima Centauri and Alpha Centauri AB are gravitationally bound.[16] The orbital period of Proxima Centauri is approximately 511000+41000
−30000 years, with an eccentricity of 0.5, much more eccentric than Mercury's. Proxima Centauri comes within 4100+700
−600 astronomical unit|AU of AB at periastron, and its apastron occurs at 12300+200
−100 astronomical unit|AU.[5]
Physical properties
Asteroseismic studies, chromospheric activity, and stellar rotation (gyrochronology) are all consistent with the Alpha Centauri system being similar in age to, or slightly older than, the Sun.[72] Asteroseismic analyses that incorporate tight observational constraints on the stellar parameters for the Alpha Centauri stars have yielded age estimates of 4.85±0.5 Gyr,[73] 5.0±0.5 Gyr,[74] 5.2 ± 1.9 Gyr,[75] 6.4 Gyr,[76] and 6.52±0.3 Gyr.[77] Age estimates for the stars based on chromospheric activity (Calcium H & K emission) yield 4.4 ± 2.1 Gyr, whereas gyrochronology yields 5.0±0.3 Gyr.[72] Stellar evolution theory implies both stars are slightly older than the Sun at 5 to 6 billion years, as derived by their mass and spectral characteristics.[39][78]
From the orbital elements, the total mass of Alpha Centauri AB is about 2.0 M☉[note 4] – or twice that of the Sun.[52] The average individual stellar masses are about 1.08 M☉ and 0.91 M☉, respectively,[5] though slightly different masses have also been quoted in recent years, such as 1.14 M☉ and 0.92 M☉,[79] totalling 2.06 M☉. Alpha Centauri A and B have absolute magnitudes of +4.38 and +5.71, respectively.
Alpha Centauri AB System
Alpha Centauri A
Alpha Centauri A, also known as Rigil Kentaurus, is the principal member, or primary, of the binary system. It is a solar-like main-sequence star with a similar yellowish colour,[80] whose stellar classification is spectral type G2-V;[3] it is about 10% more massive than the Sun,[73] with a radius about 22% larger.[81] When considered among the individual brightest stars in the night sky, it is the fourth-brightest at an apparent magnitude of +0.01,[2] being slightly fainter than Arcturus at an apparent magnitude of −0.05.
The type of magnetic activity on Alpha Centauri A is comparable to that of the Sun, showing coronal variability due to star spots, as modulated by the rotation of the star. However, since 2005 the activity level has fallen into a deep minimum that might be similar to the Sun's historical Maunder Minimum. Alternatively, it may have a very long stellar activity cycle and is slowly recovering from a minimum phase.[82]
Alpha Centauri B
Alpha Centauri B, also known as Toliman, is the secondary star of the binary system. It is a main-sequence star of spectral type K1-V, making it more an orange colour than Alpha Centauri A;[80] it has around 90% of the mass of the Sun and a 14% smaller diameter. Although it has a lower luminosity than A, Alpha Centauri B emits more energy in the X-ray band.[83] Its light curve varies on a short time scale, and there has been at least one observed flare.[83] It is more magnetically active than Alpha Centauri A, showing a cycle of 8.2±0.2 yr compared to 11 years for the Sun, and has about half the minimum-to-peak variation in coronal luminosity of the Sun.[82] Alpha Centauri B has an apparent magnitude of +1.35, slightly dimmer than Mimosa.[31]
Alpha Centauri C (Proxima Centauri)
Alpha Centauri C, better known as Proxima Centauri, is a small main-sequence red dwarf of spectral class M6-Ve. It has an absolute magnitude of +15.60, over 20,000 times fainter than the Sun. Its mass is calculated to be 0.1221 M☉.[84] It is the closest star to the Sun but is too faint to be visible to the naked eye.[85]
Planetary system
The Alpha Centauri system as a whole has two confirmed planets, both of them around Proxima Centauri. While other planets have been claimed to exist around all of the stars, none of the discoveries have been confirmed.
Planets of Proxima Centauri
Proxima Centauri b is a terrestrial planet discovered in 2016 by astronomers at the European Southern Observatory (ESO). It has an estimated minimum mass of 1.17 M⊕ (Earth masses) and orbits approximately 0.049 AU from Proxima Centauri, placing it in the star's habitable zone.[86][87]
Proxima Centauri c is a planet that was formally published in 2020 and could be a super-Earth or mini-Neptune.[88][89] It has a mass of roughly 7 M⊕ and orbits about 1.49 AU from Proxima Centauri with a period of 1,928 days (5.28 yr).[90] In June 2020, a possible direct imaging detection of the planet hinted at the potential presence of a large ring system.[91] However, a 2022 study disputed the existence of this planet.[18]
A 2020 paper refining Proxima b's mass excludes the presence of extra companions with masses above 0.6 M⊕ at periods shorter than 50 days, but the authors detected a radial-velocity curve with a periodicity of 5.15 days, suggesting the presence of a planet with a mass of about 0.29 M⊕.[87] This planet, Proxima Centauri d, was confirmed in 2022.[17][18]
Planets of Alpha Centauri A
Companion (in order from star) |
Mass | Semimajor axis (AU) |
Orbital period (days) |
Eccentricity | Inclination | Radius |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
b (unconfirmed) | ~9–35[note 5] M⊕ | 1.1 | ~360 | — | ~65 ± 25° | ~3.3–7 R⊕ |
In 2021, a candidate planet named Candidate 1 (abbreviated as C1) was detected around Alpha Centauri A, thought to orbit at approximately 1.1 AU with a period of about one year, and to have a mass between that of Neptune and one-half that of Saturn, though it may be a dust disk or an artifact. The possibility of C1 being a background star has been ruled out.[92][19] If this candidate is confirmed, the temporary name C1 will most likely be replaced with the scientific designation Alpha Centauri Ab in accordance with current naming conventions.[93]
GO Cycle 1 observations are planned for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to search for planets around Alpha Centauri A, as well as observations of Epsilon Muscae.[94] The coronographic observations, which occurred on July 26 and 27, 2023, were failures, though there are follow-up observations in March of 2024.[95] Pre-launch estimates predicted that JWST will be able to find planets with a radius of 5 R⊕ at 1–3 au. Multiple observations every 3–6 months could push the limit down to 3 R⊕.[96] Post-processing techniques could push the limit down to 0.5 to 0.7 R⊕.[94] Post-launch estimates based on observations of HIP 65426 b find that JWST will be able to find planets even closer to Alpha Centauri A and could find a 5 R⊕ planet at 0.5 to 2.5 au.[97] Candidate 1 has an estimated radius between 3.3 and 11 R⊕[19] and orbits at 1.1 au. It is therefore likely within the reach of JWST observations.
Planets of Alpha Centauri B
In 2012, a planet around Alpha Centauri B was reported, Alpha Centauri Bb, but in 2015 a new analysis concluded that that report was an artifact of the datum analysis.[98][99][20]
A possible transit-like event was observed in 2013, which could be associated with a separate planet. The transit event could correspond to a planetary body with a radius around 0.92 R⊕. This planet would most likely orbit Alpha Centauri B with an orbital period of 20.4 days or less, with only a 5% chance of it having a longer orbit. The median of the likely orbits is 12.4 days. Its orbit would likely have an eccentricity of 0.24 or less.[100] It could have lakes of molten lava and would be far too close to Alpha Centauri B to harbour life.[101] If confirmed, this planet might be called Alpha Centauri Bc. However, the name has not been used in the literature, as it is not a claimed discovery. (As of 2023), it appears that no further transit-like events have been observed.
Hypothetical planets
Additional planets may exist in the Alpha Centauri system, either orbiting Alpha Centauri A or Alpha Centauri B individually, or in large orbits around Alpha Centauri AB. Because both stars are fairly similar to the Sun (for example, in age and metallicity), astronomers have been especially interested in making detailed searches for planets in the Alpha Centauri system. Several established planet-hunting teams have used various radial velocity or star transit methods in their searches around these two bright stars.[102] All the observational studies have so far failed to find evidence for brown dwarfs or gas giants.[102][103]
In 2009, computer simulations showed that a planet might have been able to form near the inner edge of Alpha Centauri B's habitable zone, which extends from 0.5 to 0.9 AU from the star. Certain special assumptions, such as considering that the Alpha Centauri pair may have initially formed with a wider separation and later moved closer to each other (as might be possible if they formed in a dense star cluster), would permit an accretion-friendly environment farther from the star.[104] Bodies around Alpha Centauri A would be able to orbit at slightly farther distances due to its stronger gravity. In addition, the lack of any brown dwarfs or gas giants in close orbits around Alpha Centauri make the likelihood of terrestrial planets greater than otherwise.[105] A theoretical study indicates that a radial velocity analysis might detect a hypothetical planet of 1.8 M⊕ in Alpha Centauri B's habitable zone.[106]
Radial velocity measurements of Alpha Centauri B made with the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher spectrograph were sufficiently sensitive to detect a 4 M⊕ planet within the habitable zone of the star (i.e. with an orbital period P = 200 days), but no planets were detected.[107]
Current estimates place the probability of finding an Earth-like planet around Alpha Centauri at roughly 75%.[108] The observational thresholds for planet detection in the habitable zones by the radial velocity method are currently (2017) estimated to be about 50 M⊕ for Alpha Centauri A, 8 M⊕ for Alpha Centauri B, and 0.5 M⊕ for Proxima Centauri.[109]
Early computer-generated models of planetary formation predicted the existence of terrestrial planets around both Alpha Centauri A and B,[106][note 6] but most recent numerical investigations have shown that the gravitational pull of the companion star renders the accretion of planets difficult.[104][110] Despite these difficulties, given the similarities to the Sun in spectral types, star type, age and probable stability of the orbits, it has been suggested that this stellar system could hold one of the best possibilities for harbouring extraterrestrial life on a potential planet.[6][105][111][112]
In the Solar System, it was once thought that Jupiter and Saturn were probably crucial in perturbing comets into the inner Solar System, providing the inner planets with a source of water and various other ices.[113] However, since isotope measurements of the deuterium to hydrogen (D/H) ratio in comets Halley, Hyakutake, Hale–Bopp, 2002T7, and Tuttle yield values approximately twice that of Earth's oceanic water, more recent models and research predict that less than 10% of Earth's water was supplied from comets. In the Alpha Centauri system, Proxima Centauri may have influenced the planetary disk as the Alpha Centauri system was forming, enriching the area around Alpha Centauri with volatile materials.[114] This would be discounted if, for example, Alpha Centauri B happened to have gas giants orbiting Alpha Centauri A (or vice versa), or if Alpha Centauri A and B themselves were able to perturb comets into each other's inner systems as Jupiter and Saturn presumably have done in the Solar System.[113] Such icy bodies probably also reside in Oort clouds of other planetary systems. When they are influenced gravitationally by either the gas giants or disruptions by passing nearby stars, many of these icy bodies then travel star-wards.[113] Such ideas also apply to the close approach of Alpha Centauri or other stars to the Solar System, when, in the distant future, the Oort Cloud might be disrupted enough to increase the number of active comets.[65]
To be in the habitable zone, a planet around Alpha Centauri A would have an orbital radius of between about 1.2 and 2.1 astronomical unit|AU so as to have similar planetary temperatures and conditions for liquid water to exist.[115] For the slightly less luminous and cooler Alpha Centauri B, the habitable zone is between about 0.7 and 1.2 AU.[115]
With the goal of finding evidence of such planets, both Proxima Centauri and Alpha Centauri-AB were among the listed "Tier-1" target stars for NASA's Space Interferometry Mission (S.I.M.). Detecting planets as small as three Earth-masses or smaller within two AU of a "Tier-1" target would have been possible with this new instrument.[116] The S.I.M. mission, however, was cancelled due to financial issues in 2010.[117]
Circumstellar discs
Based on observations between 2007 and 2012, a study found a slight excess of emissions in the 24-µm (mid/far-infrared) band surrounding α Centauri AB, which may be interpreted as evidence for a sparse circumstellar disc or dense interplanetary dust.[118] The total mass was estimated to be between 10−7 to 10−6 the mass of the Moon, or 10–100 times the mass of the Solar System's zodiacal cloud.[118] If such a disc existed around both stars, α Centauri A's disc would likely be stable to 2.8 AU, and α Centauri B's would likely be stable to 2.5 AU[118] This would put A's disc entirely within the frost line, and a small part of B's outer disc just outside.[118]
View from this system
The sky from Alpha Centauri AB would appear much as it does from the Earth, except that Centaurus would be missing its brightest star. The Sun would appear as a white star of apparent magnitude +0.5,[119] roughly the same as the average brightness of Betelgeuse from Earth. It would be at the antipodal point of Alpha Centauri AB's current right ascension and declination, at 02h 39m 36s +60° 50′ 02.308″ (2000), in eastern Cassiopeia, easily outshining all the rest of the stars in the constellation. With the placement of the Sun east of the magnitude 3.4 star Epsilon Cassiopeiae, nearly in front of the Heart Nebula, the "W" line of stars of Cassiopeia would have a "/W" shape.[120]
The Winter Triangle would not look equilateral, but very thin and long, with Procyon outshining Pollux in the middle of Gemini, and Sirius lying less than a degree from Betelgeuse in Orion. With a magnitude of −1.2, Sirius would be a little fainter than from Earth but still the brightest star in the night sky. Both Vega and Altair would be shifted northwestward relative to Deneb, giving the Summer Triangle a more equilateral appearance.[citation needed]
A planet around either α Centauri A or B would see the other star as a very bright secondary. For example, an Earth-like planet at 1.25 AU from α Cen A (with a revolution period of 1.34 years) would get Sun-like illumination from its primary, and α Cen B would appear 5.7 to 8.6 magnitudes dimmer (−21.0 to −18.2), 190 to 2,700 times dimmer than α Cen A but still 150 to 2,100 times brighter than the full Moon. Conversely, an Earth-like planet at 0.71 AU from α Cen B (with a revolution period of 0.63 years) would get nearly Sun-like illumination from its primary, and α Cen A would appear 4.6 to 7.3 magnitudes dimmer (−22.1 to −19.4), 70 to 840 times dimmer than α Cen B but still 470 to 5,700 times brighter than the full Moon.
Proxima Centauri would appear dim as one of many stars.[121]
Other names
In modern literature, colloquial alternative names of Alpha Centauri include Rigil Kent[122] (also Rigel Kent and variants;[note 7] /ˈraɪdʒəl ˈkɛnt/)[21][123] and Toliman[124] (the latter of which became the proper name of Alpha Centauri B on 10 August 2018 by approval of the International Astronomical Union).
Rigil Kent is short for Rigil Kentaurus,[125] which is sometimes further abbreviated to Rigil or Rigel, though that is ambiguous with Beta Orionis, which is also called Rigel.
The name Toliman originates with Jacobus Golius' 1669 edition of Al-Farghani's Compendium. Tolimân is Golius' latinisation of the Arabic name الظلمان al-Ẓulmān "the ostriches", the name of an asterism of which Alpha Centauri formed the main star.[126][127][128]
During the 19th century, the northern amateur popularist Elijah H. Burritt used the now-obscure name Bungula,[129] possibly coined from "β" and the Latin ungula ("hoof").[21]
Together, Alpha and Beta Centauri form the "Southern Pointers" or "The Pointers", as they point towards the Southern Cross, the asterism of the constellation of Crux.[64]
In Chinese astronomy, 南門 Nán Mén, meaning Southern Gate, refers to an asterism consisting of Alpha Centauri and Epsilon Centauri. Consequently, the Chinese name for Alpha Centauri itself is 南門二 Nán Mén Èr, the Second Star of the Southern Gate.[130]
To the Australian aboriginal Boorong people of northwestern Victoria, Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri are Bermbermgle,[131] two brothers noted for their courage and destructiveness, who speared and killed Tchingal "The Emu" (the Coalsack Nebula).[132] The form in Wotjobaluk is Bram-bram-bult.[131]
Future exploration
![Image of a very large telescope dome open to the night sky, with the Milky Way running diagonally across the sky above it and many southern stars and constellations labelled and connected by lines](/wiki/images/thumb/d/d2/The_Very_Large_Telescope_and_the_star_system_Alpha_Centauri.jpg/250px-The_Very_Large_Telescope_and_the_star_system_Alpha_Centauri.jpg)
Alpha Centauri is a first target for crewed or robotic interstellar exploration. Using current spacecraft technologies, crossing the distance between the Sun and Alpha Centauri would take several millennia, though the possibility of nuclear pulse propulsion or laser light sail technology, as considered in the Breakthrough Starshot program, could make the journey to Alpha Centauri in 20 years.[133][134][135] An objective of such a mission would be to make a fly-by of, and possibly photograph, planets that might exist in the system.[136]Cite error: Closing </ref>
missing for <ref>
tag[137]
Historical distance estimates
![](/wiki/images/thumb/e/e1/Angular_map_of_fusors_around_Sol_within_9ly_%28large%29.png/300px-Angular_map_of_fusors_around_Sol_within_9ly_%28large%29.png)
Source | Year | Subject | Parallax (mas) | Distance | References | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
parsecs | light-years | petametres | |||||
H. Henderson | 1839 | AB | 1160±110 | 0.86+0.09 −0.07 |
2.81 ± 0.53 | 26.6+2.8 −2.3 |
[57] |
T. Henderson | 1842 | AB | 912.8±64 | 1.10 ± 0.15 | 3.57 ± 0.5 | 33.8+2.5 −2.2 |
[138] |
Maclear | 1851 | AB | 918.7±34 | 1.09±0.04 | 3.55+0.14 −0.13 |
32.4 ± 2.5 | [139] |
Moesta | 1868 | AB | 880±68 | 1.14+0.10 −0.08 |
3.71+0.31 −0.27 |
35.1+2.9 −2.5 |
[140] |
Gill & Elkin | 1885 | AB | 750±10 | 1.333±0.018 | 4.35±0.06 | 41.1+0.6 −0.5 |
[141] |
Roberts | 1895 | AB | 710±50 | 1.32 ± 0.2 | 4.29 ± 0.65 | 43.5+3.3 −2.9 |
[142] |
Woolley et al. | 1970 | AB | 743±7 | 1.346±0.013 | 4.39±0.04 | 41.5±0.4 | [143] |
Gliese & Jahreiß | 1991 | AB | 749.0±4.7 | 1.335±0.008 | 4.355±0.027 | 41.20±0.26 | [144] |
van Altena et al. | 1995 | AB | 749.9±5.4 | 1.334±0.010 | 4.349+0.032 −0.031 |
41.15+0.30 −0.29 |
[145] |
Perryman et al. | 1997 | AB | 742.12±1.40 | 1.3475±0.0025 | 4.395±0.008 | 41.58±0.08 | [146][147][148][149] |
Söderhjelm | 1999 | AB | 747.1±1.2 | 1.3385+0.0022 −0.0021 |
4.366±0.007 | 41.30±0.07 | [150] |
van Leeuwen | 2007 | A | 754.81±4.11 | 1.325±0.007 | 4.321+0.024 −0.023 |
40.88±0.22 | [151] |
B | 796.92±25.90 | 1.25±0.04 | 4.09+0.14 −0.13 |
37.5 ± 2.5 | [152] | ||
RECONS TOP100 | 2012 | AB | 747.23±1.17[note 8] | 1.3383±0.0021 | 4.365±0.007 | 41.29±0.06 | [79] |
See also
- Alpha Centauri in fiction
- List of nearest stars and brown dwarfs
- Project Longshot
- Sagan Planet Walk
Notes
- ↑ Proxima Centauri is gravitationally bound to the α Centauri system, but for practical and historical reasons it is described in detail in its own article.
- ↑ This is calculated for a fixed latitude by knowing the star's declination (δ) using the formulae (90°+ δ). Alpha Centauri's declination is −60° 50′, so the observed latitude where the star is circumpolar will be south of −29° 10′ South or 29°. Similarly, the place where Alpha Centauri never rises for northern observers is north of the latitude (90°+ δ) N or +29° North.
- ↑ Proper motions are expressed in smaller angular units than arcsec, being measured in milliarcsec (mas.) (thousandths of an arcsec). Negative values for proper motion in RA indicate the sky motion is from east to west, and in declination north to south.
- ↑ [math]\displaystyle{ \begin{smallmatrix}\left(\frac{11.2+35.6}{2}\right)^3/79.91^2\approx2.0\end{smallmatrix} }[/math], see formula
- ↑ These mass limits are calculated from the observed radius of ~3.3–7 R⊕ applied to the equation quoted, and presumably used, to calculate the planet mass from the planet radius in the K. Wagner et al. 2021 paper – R ∝ M0.55 (although this radius-mass relationship is for low-mass planets and not for larger gas giants). Therefore 3.31.82 = 8.77 M⊕ and 71.82 = 34.52 M⊕. The Msini ≥ 53 M⊕ is for a planet at the outer edge of the conservative habitable zone, 2.1 AU, and so the upper mass limit is lower than that for the C1 planet at just 1.1 AU.
- ↑ See Lissauer and Quintana in references below
- ↑ Spellings include Rigjl Kentaurus, Hyde T., "Ulugh Beighi Tabulae Stellarum Fixarum", Tabulae Long. ac Lat. Stellarum Fixarum ex Observatione Ulugh Beighi Oxford, 1665, p. 142, Hyde T., "In Ulugh Beighi Tabulae Stellarum Fixarum Commentarii", op. cit., p. 67, Portuguese Riguel Kentaurus da Silva Oliveira, R., "Crux Australis: o Cruzeiro do Sul" , Artigos: Planetario Movel Inflavel AsterDomus.
- ↑ Weighted parallax based on parallaxes from van Altena et al. (1995) and Söderhjelm (1999)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Van Leeuwen, F. (2007). "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction". Astronomy and Astrophysics 474 (2): 653–664. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357. Bibcode: 2007A&A...474..653V.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Ducati, J. R. (2002). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: Catalogue of Stellar Photometry in Johnson's 11-color system". CDS/ADC Collection of Electronic Catalogues 2237: 0. Bibcode: 2002yCat.2237....0D.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Torres, C. A. O.; Quast, G. R.; da Silva, L.; de la Reza, R.; Melo, C. H. F.; Sterzik, M. (2006). "Search for associations containing young stars (SACY)". Astronomy and Astrophysics 460 (3): 695–708. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20065602. ISSN 0004-6361. Bibcode: 2006A&A...460..695T.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Valenti, Jeff A.; Fischer, Debra A. (2005). "Spectroscopic Properties of Cool Stars (SPOCS) I. 1040 F, G, and K Dwarfs from Keck, Lick, and AAT Planet Search Programs". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series 159 (1): 141–166. doi:10.1086/430500. ISSN 0067-0049. Bibcode: 2005ApJS..159..141V.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 Akeson, Rachel; Beichman, Charles; Kervella, Pierre; Fomalont, Edward; Benedict, G. Fritz (20 April 2021). "Precision Millimeter Astrometry of the α Centauri AB System". The Astronomical Journal 162 (1): 14. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/abfaff. Bibcode: 2021AJ....162...14A.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 P. A. Wiegert; M. J. Holman (1997). "The stability of planets in the Alpha Centauri system". The Astronomical Journal 113: 1445–1450. doi:10.1086/118360. Bibcode: 1997AJ....113.1445W.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Gilli G.; Israelian G.; Ecuvillon A.; Santos N. C.; Mayor M. (2006). "Abundances of Refractory Elements in the Atmospheres of Stars with Extrasolar Planets". Astronomy and Astrophysics 449 (2): 723–736. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20053850. libcode 2005astro.ph.12219G. Bibcode: 2006A&A...449..723G.
- ↑ Huber, Daniel; Zwintz, Konstanze; the BRITE team (July 2020). "Solar-Like Oscillations: Lessons Learned & First Results from TESS". Stars and Their Variability Observed from Space: 457. Bibcode: 2020svos.conf..457H.
- ↑ Bazot, M. (2007). "Asteroseismology of α Centauri A. Evidence of rotational splitting". Astronomy and Astrophysics 470 (1): 295–302. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20065694. Bibcode: 2007A&A...470..295B.
- ↑ Dumusque, Xavier (December 2014). "Deriving Stellar Inclination of Slow Rotators Using Stellar Activity". The Astrophysical Journal 796 (2): 133. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/796/2/133. Bibcode: 2014ApJ...796..133D.
- ↑ Raassen, A. J. J.; Ness, J.-U.; Mewe, R.; Van Der Meer, R. L. J.; Burwitz, V.; Kaastra, J. S. (2003). "Chandra-LETGS X-ray observation of α Centauri: A nearby (G2V + K1V) binary system". Astronomy & Astrophysics 400 (2): 671–678. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20021899. Bibcode: 2003A&A...400..671R.
- ↑ Joyce, M.; Chaboyer, B. (2018). "Classically and Asteroseismically Constrained 1D Stellar Evolution Models of α Centauri a and B Using Empirical Mixing Length Calibrations". The Astrophysical Journal 864 (1): 99. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aad464. Bibcode: 2018ApJ...864...99J.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "IAU Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)". International Astronomical Union. https://www.iau.org/science/scientific_bodies/working_groups/280/.
- ↑ Kervella, Pierre; Thevenin, Frederic (15 March 2003). "A Family Portrait of the Alpha Centauri System". European Southern Observatory Press Release: 5. eso0307, PR 05/03. Bibcode: 2003eso..pres...39.. http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso0307/.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a work now in the public domain: Hartkopf, W.; Mason, D. M. (2008). "Sixth Catalog of Orbits of Visual Binaries". U.S. Naval Observatory. http://ad.usno.navy.mil/wds/orb6.html.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Kervella, P.; Thévenin, F.; Lovis, C. (January 2017). "Proxima's orbit around α Centauri". Astronomy & Astrophysics 598: L7. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201629930. Bibcode: 2017A&A...598L...7K.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Faria, J. P.; Suárez Mascareño, A. et al. (January 4, 2022). "A candidate short-period sub-Earth orbiting Proxima Centauri". Astronomy & Astrophysics (European Southern Observatory) 658: 17. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202142337. Bibcode: 2022A&A...658A.115F. https://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso2202/eso2202a.pdf.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Artigau, Étienne; Cadieux, Charles; Cook, Neil J.; Doyon, René; Vandal, Thomas et al. (June 23, 2022). "Line-by-line velocity measurements, an outlier-resistant method for precision velocimetry". The Astronomical Journal 164:84 (3): 18pp. August 8, 2022. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ac7ce6. Bibcode: 2022AJ....164...84A.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Wagner, K.; Boehle, A. et al. (10 February 2021). "Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri". Nature Communications 12 (1): 922. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-21176-6. PMID 33568657. Bibcode: 2021NatCo..12..922W. Kevin Wagner's (lead author of paper?) video of discovery
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Rajpaul, Vinesh; Aigrain, Suzanne; Roberts, Stephen J. (19 October 2015), "Ghost in the time series: no planet for Alpha Cen B", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 456 (1): L6–L10, doi:10.1093/mnrasl/slv164, Bibcode: 2016MNRAS.456L...6R
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Paul Kunitzsch; Tim Smart (2006). A Dictionary of Modern Star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations. Sky Pub.. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-931559-44-7. https://books.google.com/books?id=XVspPwAACAAJ.
- ↑ Davis, George R. Jr. (October 1944). "The pronunciations, derivations, and meanings of a selected list of star names". Popular Astronomy 52 (3): 16. Bibcode: 1944PA.....52....8D.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 R.H. Allen, Star Names and their Meanings
- ↑ ظليم ذ, in Edward William Lane, An Arabic–English Lexicon
- ↑ Innes, R. T. A. (October 1915). "A Faint Star of Large Proper Motion". Circular of the Union Observatory Johannesburg 30: 235–236. Bibcode: 1915CiUO...30..235I.
- ↑ Innes, R. T. A. (September 1917). "Parallax of the Faint Proper Motion Star Near Alpha of Centaurus. 1900. R.A. 14h22m55s-0s 6t. Dec-62° 15'2 0'8 t". Circular of the Union Observatory Johannesburg 40: 331–336. Bibcode: 1917CiUO...40..331I.
- ↑ Stevenson, Angus, ed (2010). "Oxford Dictionary of English". Oxford Dictionary of English. OUP Oxford. p. 1431. ISBN 978-0-19-957112-3. https://books.google.com/books?id=anecAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA1431.
- ↑ Alden, Harold L. (1928). "Alpha and Proxima Centauri". Astronomical Journal 39 (913): 20–23. doi:10.1086/104871. Bibcode: 1928AJ.....39...20A.
- ↑ "Bulletin of the IAU Working Group on Star Names, No. 2". International Astronomical Union. October 2016. https://www.iau.org/static/science/scientific_bodies/working_groups/280/WGSN_bulletin2.pdf.
- ↑ "WG Triennial Report (2015–2018) – Star Names". p. 5. https://www.iau.org/static/science/scientific_bodies/working_groups/280/wg-starnames-triennial-report-2015-2018.pdf.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 "Naming Stars". International Astronomical Union. https://www.iau.org/public/themes/naming_stars/.
- ↑ "IAU Catalog of Star Names". International Astronomical Union. http://www.pas.rochester.edu/~emamajek/WGSN/IAU-CSN.txt.
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 Moore, Patrick, ed (2002). Astronomy Encyclopedia. Philip's. ISBN 978-0-540-07863-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=uJxWDwAAQBAJ&pg=PP5.[|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
- ↑ Van Zyl, Johannes Ebenhaezer (1996). Unveiling the Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy. Springer. ISBN 978-3-540-76023-8. https://archive.org/details/unveilingunivers01vanz.
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 Hartung, E. J.; Frew, David; Malin, David (1994). "Astronomical Objects for Southern Telescopes". Cambridge University Press.
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 Norton, A. P.; Ed. I. Ridpath (1986). Norton's 2000.0: Star Atlas and Reference Handbook. Longman Scientific and Technical. pp. 39–40.
- ↑ Mitton, Jacquelin (1993). The Penguin Dictionary of Astronomy. Penguin Books. p. 148. ISBN 9780140512267. https://archive.org/details/penguindictionar00mitt.
- ↑ James, Andrew. "'The '"Constellations : Part 2 Culmination Times"'". Sydney, New South Wales: Southern Astronomical Delights. http://www.southastrodel.com/Page20502.htm.
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 Matthews, R. A. J.; Gilmore, Gerard (1993). "Is Proxima really in orbit about α Cen A/B?". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 261: L5–L7. doi:10.1093/mnras/261.1.l5. Bibcode: 1993MNRAS.261L...5M.
- ↑ Benedict, G. Fritz; McArthur, Barbara; Nelan, E.; Story, D.; Whipple, A. L.; Shelus, P. J.; Jefferys, W. H.; Hemenway, P. D. et al. (1998). "Proxima Centauri: Time-resolved Astrometry of a Flare Site using HST Fine Guidance Sensor 3". in Donahue, R. A.; Bookbinder, J. A.. ASP Conf. Ser. 154, The Tenth Cambridge Workshop on Cool Stars, Stellar Systems and the Sun. p. 1212. Bibcode: 1998ASPC..154.1212B.
- ↑ Page, A. A. (1982). "Mount Tamborine Observatory". International Amateur-Professional Photoelectric Photometry Communication 10: 26. Bibcode: 1982IAPPP..10...26P.
- ↑ "Light Curve Generator (LCG) – aavso.org". https://www.aavso.org/lcg/plot?auid=000-BCV-333&starname=V645%20CEN&lastdays=200&start=2457230&stop=2457270&obscode=&obscode_symbol=2&obstotals=yes&calendar=calendar&forcetics=&pointsize=1&width=800&height=450&mag1=&mag2=&mean=&vmean=&grid=on&visual=on&uband=on&bband=on&v=on.
- ↑ Linsky, Jeffrey L.; Redfield, Seth; Tilipman, Dennis (November 2019). "The Interface between the Outer Heliosphere and the Inner Local ISM: Morphology of the Local Interstellar Cloud, Its Hydrogen Hole, Strömgren Shells, and 60Fe Accretion". The Astrophysical Journal 886 (1): 19. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ab498a. 41. Bibcode: 2019ApJ...886...41L.
- ↑ Boffin, Henri M. J. et al. (4 December 2013). "Possible astrometric discovery of a substellar companion to the closest binary brown dwarf system WISE J104915.57–531906.1". Astronomy and Astrophysics 561: L4. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201322975. Bibcode: 2014A&A...561L...4B.
- ↑ Ptolemaeus, Claudius (1984). Ptolemy's Almagest. London: Gerald Duckworth & Co.. p. 368, note 136. ISBN 978-0-7156-1588-1. https://isidore.co/calibre/get/pdf/Ptolemy%26%2339%3Bs%20Almagest%20-%20Ptolemy%2C%20Claudius%20%26amp%3B%20Toomer%2C%20G.%20J__5114.pdf. Retrieved 22 December 2017.[|permanent dead link|dead link}}]
- ↑ Knobel, Edward B. (1917). "On Frederick de Houtman's Catalogue of Southern Stars, and the Origin of the Southern Constellations". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 77 (5): 414–432 [416]. doi:10.1093/mnras/77.5.414. Bibcode: 1917MNRAS..77..414K.
- ↑ Kameswara-Rao, N.; Vagiswari, A.; Louis, C. (1984). "Father J. Richaud and Early Telescope Observations in India". Bulletin of the Astronomical Society of India 12: 81. Bibcode: 1984BASI...12...81K.
- ↑ 48.0 48.1 Pannekoek, Anton (1989). A History of Astronomy. Dover. pp. 345–346. ISBN 978-0-486-65994-7. https://books.google.com/books?id=I1LGdDe0NYcC&pg=PA2.
- ↑ "Best image of Alpha Centauri A and B". http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/potw1635a/.
- ↑ Herschel, J. F. W. (1847). Results of Astronomical Observations made during the years 1834, 5, 6, 7, 8 at the Cape of Good Hope; being the completion of a telescopic survey of the whole surface of the visible heavens, commenced in 1825.. Smith, Elder and Co, London. Bibcode: 1847raom.book.....H.
- ↑ 51.0 51.1 Kamper, K. W.; Wesselink, A. J. (1978). "Alpha and Proxima Centauri". Astronomical Journal 83: 1653. doi:10.1086/112378. Bibcode: 1978AJ.....83.1653K.
- ↑ 52.0 52.1 52.2 52.3 Robert Grant Aitken (1961). The Binary Stars. Dover. pp. 235–237.
- ↑
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a work now in the public domain: "Sixth Catalogue of Orbits of Visual Binary Stars: Ephemeris (2008)". U.S. Naval Observatory. http://ad.usno.navy.mil/wds/orb6/orb6ephem.html.
- ↑ ESA: Hipparcos Site. "High-Proper Motion Stars (2004)". http://www.rssd.esa.int/index.php?project=HIPPARCOS&page=high_p.
- ↑ Aristotle. "De Caelo (On the Heavens): Book II Part 11 (2004)". https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/a/aristotle/heavens/book2.html.
- ↑ Arthur Berry (6 February 2018). A Short History of Astronomy. Creative Media Partners, LLC. pp. 357–358. ISBN 978-1-376-81951-9. https://books.google.com/books?id=QBJcswEACAAJ.
- ↑ 57.0 57.1 Henderson, H. (1839). "On the parallax of α Centauri". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 4 (19): 168–169. doi:10.1093/mnras/4.19.168. Bibcode: 1839MNRAS...4..168H. https://zenodo.org/record/1431843.
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- ↑ C. A. l., Bailer-Jones (2015). "Close encounters of the stellar kind". Astronomy and Astrophysics 575: A35–A48. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201425221. Bibcode: 2015A&A...575A..35B.
- ↑ Sky and Telescope, April 1998 (p. 60), based on computations from HIPPARCOS data.
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- ↑ Bazot, M.; Bourguignon, S.; Christensen-Dalsgaard, J. (2012). "A Bayesian approach to the modelling of alpha Cen A". MNRAS 427 (3): 1847–1866. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21818.x. Bibcode: 2012MNRAS.427.1847B.
- ↑ Miglio, A.; Montalbán, J. (2005). "Constraining fundamental stellar parameters using seismology. Application to α Centauri AB". Astronomy & Astrophysics 441 (2): 615–629. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20052988. Bibcode: 2005A&A...441..615M.
- ↑ Thoul, A.; Scuflaire, R.; Noels, A.; Vatovez, B.; Briquet, M.; Dupret, M.-A.; Montalban, J. (2003). "A New Seismic Analysis of Alpha Centauri". Astronomy & Astrophysics 402: 293–297. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20030244. Bibcode: 2003A&A...402..293T.
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- ↑ Kervella, P.; Bigot, L.; Gallenne, A.; Thévenin, F. (January 2017). "The radii and limb darkenings of α Centauri A and B. Interferometric measurements with VLTI/PIONIER". Astronomy & Astrophysics 597: A137. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201629505. Bibcode: 2017A&A...597A.137K.
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- ↑ Billings, Lee (12 April 2019). "A Second Planet May Orbit Earth's Nearest Neighboring Star". Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-second-planet-may-orbit-earths-nearest-neighboring-star/. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
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- ↑ Benedict, G. Fritz; McArthur, Barbara E. (June 2020). "A Moving Target — Revising the Mass of Proxima Centauri c". Research Notes of the AAS 4 (6): 86. doi:10.3847/2515-5172/ab9ca9. Bibcode: 2020RNAAS...4...86B.
- ↑ Gratton, RaffaeleExpression error: Unrecognized word "et". (June 2020). "Searching for the near-infrared counterpart of Proxima c using multi-epoch high-contrast SPHERE data at VLT". Astronomy & Astrophysics 638: A120. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202037594. Bibcode: 2020A&A...638A.120G.
- ↑ Sample, Ian (10 February 2021). "Astronomers' hopes raised by glimpse of possible new planet?". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/feb/10/astronomers-hopes-raised-by-glimpse-of-possible-new-planet-alpha-centauri.
- ↑ "Naming of Exoplanets". International Astronomical Union. https://www.iau.org/public/themes/naming_exoplanets/.
- ↑ 94.0 94.1 "1618 Program Information". https://www.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/get-proposal-info?observatory=JWST&id=1618.
- ↑ "Visit Information". https://www.stsci.edu/cgi-bin/get-visit-status?id=1618&markupFormat=html&observatory=JWST.
- ↑ Beichman, Charles; Ygouf, Marie; Llop Sayson, Jorge; Mawet, Dimitri; Yung, Yuk; Choquet, Elodie; Kervella, Pierre; Boccaletti, Anthony et al. (2020-01-01). "Searching for Planets Orbiting α Cen A with the James Webb Space Telescope". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 132 (1007): 015002. doi:10.1088/1538-3873/ab5066. ISSN 0004-6280. Bibcode: 2020PASP..132a5002B. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020PASP..132a5002B.
- ↑ Carter, Aarynn L.; Hinkley, Sasha; Kammerer, Jens; Skemer, Andrew; Biller, Beth A.; Leisenring, Jarron M.; Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A.; Petrus, Simon et al. (2023). "The JWST Early Release Science Program for Direct Observations of Exoplanetary Systems I: High-contrast Imaging of the Exoplanet HIP 65426 b from 2 to 16 μm". The Astrophysical Journal Letters 951 (1): L20. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/acd93e. Bibcode: 2023ApJ...951L..20C.
- ↑ Wenz, John (2015-10-29). "It Turns Out the Closest Exoplanet to Us Doesn't Actually Exist". Popular Mechanics. https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/a18003/no-alpha-centauri-b-planet/.
- ↑ "Poof! The Planet Closest To Our Solar System Just Vanished". National Geographic News. 2015-10-29. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/10/151028-planet-disappears-alpha-centauri-astronomy-science/.
- ↑ Demory, Brice-Olivier et al. (June 2015). "Hubble Space Telescope search for the transit of the Earth-mass exoplanet Alpha Centauri Bb". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 450 (2): 2043–2051. doi:10.1093/mnras/stv673. Bibcode: 2015MNRAS.450.2043D.
- ↑ Aron, Jacob. "Twin Earths may lurk in our nearest star system". https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn27259-twin-earths-may-lurk-in-our-nearest-star-system/.
- ↑ 102.0 102.1 "Why Haven't Planets Been Detected around Alpha Centauri". Universe Today. 2008-04-19. http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/19/why-havent-planets-been-detected-around-alpha-centauri/.
- ↑ Stephens, Tim (7 March 2008). "Nearby star should harbor detectable, Earth-like planets". News & Events. UC Santa Cruz. http://www.ucsc.edu/news_events/text.asp?pid=2012.
- ↑ 104.0 104.1 Thebault, P.; Marzazi, F.; Scholl, H. (2009). "Planet formation in the habitable zone of alpha centauri B". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 393 (1): L21–L25. doi:10.1111/j.1745-3933.2008.00590.x. Bibcode: 2009MNRAS.393L..21T.
- ↑ 105.0 105.1 Quintana, E. V.; Lissauer, J. J.; Chambers, J. E.; Duncan, M. J. (2002). "Terrestrial Planet Formation in the Alpha Centauri System". Astrophysical Journal 576 (2): 982–996. doi:10.1086/341808. Bibcode: 2002ApJ...576..982Q.
- ↑ 106.0 106.1 Guedes, Javiera M.; Rivera, Eugenio J.; Davis, Erica; Laughlin, Gregory; Quintana, Elisa V.; Fischer, Debra A. (2008). "Formation and Detectability of Terrestrial Planets Around Alpha Centauri B". Astrophysical Journal 679 (2): 1582–1587. doi:10.1086/587799. Bibcode: 2008ApJ...679.1582G.
- ↑ Dumusque, X.; Pepe, F.; Lovis, C.; Ségransan, D.; Sahlmann, J.; Benz, W.; Bouchy, F.; Mayor, M. et al. (17 October 2012). "An Earth mass planet orbiting Alpha Centauri B". Nature 490 (7423): 207–211. doi:10.1038/nature11572. PMID 23075844. Bibcode: 2012Natur.491..207D. http://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso1241/eso1241a.pdf. Retrieved 17 October 2012.
- ↑ Billings, Lee. "Miniature Space Telescope Could Boost the Hunt for "Earth Proxima" [Video"]. Scientific American. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/miniature-space-telescope-could-boost-the-hunt-for-earth-proxima-video/.
- ↑ Zhao, L.; Fischer, D.; Brewer, J.; Giguere, M.; Rojas-Ayala, B. (January 2018). "Planet Detectability in the Alpha Centauri System". Astronomical Journal 155 (1): 12. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/aa9bea. Bibcode: 2018AJ....155...24Z. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/bib_query?arXiv:1711.06320. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ↑ M. Barbieri; F. Marzari; H. Scholl (2002). "Formation of terrestrial planets in close binary systems: The case of α Centauri A". Astronomy & Astrophysics 396 (1): 219–224. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20021357. Bibcode: 2002A&A...396..219B.
- ↑ Lissauer, J. J.; E. V. Quintana; J. E. Chambers; M. J. Duncan; F. C. Adams (2004). "Terrestrial Planet Formation in Binary Star Systems". Revista Mexicana de Astronomía y Astrofísica, Serie de Conferencias 22: 99–103. Bibcode: 2004RMxAC..22...99L.
- ↑ Quintana, Elisa V.; Lissauer, Jack J. (2007). Haghighipour, Nader. ed. Terrestrial Planet Formation in Binary Star Systems. Springer. pp. 265–284. ISBN 978-90-481-8687-7. https://books.google.com/books?id=kyf7vgv6FSYC&pg=PA265.
- ↑ 113.0 113.1 113.2 Croswell, Ken (April 1991). "Does Alpha Centauri Have Intelligent Life?". Astronomy 19 (4): 28–37. Bibcode: 1991Ast....19d..28C.
- ↑ Gilster, Paul (5 July 2006). "Proxima Centauri and Habitability". Centauri Dreams. http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=726.
- ↑ 115.0 115.1 Kaltenegger, Lisa; Haghighipour, Nader (2013). "Calculating the Habitable Zone of Binary Star Systems. I. S-Type Binaries". The Astrophysical Journal 777 (2): 165. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/777/2/165. Bibcode: 2013ApJ...777..165K.
- ↑
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a work now in the public domain: "Planet Hunting by Numbers" (Press release). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 18 October 2006. Archived from the original on 4 August 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2007.
- ↑ Mullen, Leslie (2 June 2011). "Rage Against the Dying of the Light". Astrobiology Magazine. http://www.astrobio.net/exclusive/4005/rage-against-the-dying-of-the-light.
- ↑ 118.0 118.1 118.2 118.3 Wiegert, J.; Liseau, R.; Thébault, P. et al. (March 2014). "How dusty is α Centauri? Excess or non-excess over the infrared photospheres of main-sequence stars". Astronomy & Astrophysics 563: A102. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201321887. Bibcode: 2014A&A...563A.102W.
- ↑ "See the Sun from Other Stars". 2022-02-02. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-blogs/explore-night-bob-king/see-the-sun-from-other-stars/.
- ↑ Gilster, Paul (2012-10-16). "Alpha Centauri and the New Astronomy". https://www.centauri-dreams.org/2012/10/16/alpha-centauri-and-the-new-astronomy/.
- ↑ "Alien Skies: The View from Alpha Centauri". 2020-08-28. https://www.drewexmachina.com/2020/08/28/alien-skies-the-view-from-alpha-centauri/.
- ↑ Martin Rees (17 September 2012). Universe: The Definitive Visual Guide. DK Publishing. p. 252. ISBN 978-1-4654-1114-3. https://books.google.com/books?id=CqrWEBWPfYoC.
- ↑ James B. Kaler (7 May 2006). The Hundred Greatest Stars. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-387-21625-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=jmoQBwAAQBAJ.
- ↑ Fred Schaaf (31 March 2008). The Brightest Stars: Discovering the Universe through the Sky's Most Brilliant Stars. Wiley. p. 122. ISBN 978-0-470-24917-8. Bibcode: 2008bsdu.book.....S. https://books.google.com/books?id=9LT1q0Il3-YC.
- ↑ Baily, Francis (1843). "The Catalogues of Ptolemy, Ulugh Beigh, Tycho Brahe, Halley, Hevelius, Deduced from the Best Authorities. With Various Notes and Corrections, and a Preface to Each Catalogue. To Which is Added the Synonym of each Star, in the Catalogues or Flamsteed of Lacaille, as far as the same can be ascertained". Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society 13: 1. Bibcode: 1843MmRAS..13....1B.
- ↑ Kunitzsch, P. (1976). "Naturwissenschaft und Philologie: Die arabischen Elemente in der Nomenklatur und Terminologie der Himmelskunde". Die Sterne 52: 218. doi:10.1515/islm.1975.52.2.263. Bibcode: 1976Stern..52..218K.
- ↑ Hermelink, H.; Kunitzsch, Paul (1961). "Reviewed work: Arabische Sternnamen in Europa, Paul Kunitzsch". Journal of the American Oriental Society 81 (3): 309–312. doi:10.2307/595661.
- ↑ Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad al-Fargānī; Jakob Golius (1669). Muhammedis fil. Ketiri Ferganensis, qui vulgo Alfraganus dicitur, Elementa astronomica, Arabicè & Latinè. Cum notis ad res exoticas sive Orientales, quae in iis occurrunt. Opera Jacobi Golii. apud Johannem Jansonium à Waasberge, & viduam Elizei Weyerstraet. pp. 76–. https://books.google.com/books?id=OvWTSYvB0TYC&pg=PA76.
- ↑ Elijah Hinsdale Burritt (1850). Atlas: Designed to Illustrate the Geography of the Heavens. F. J. Huntington. https://books.google.com/books?id=PHdtuwEACAAJ.
- ↑ (in Chinese) [ AEEA (Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy) 天文教育資訊網 2006 年 6 月 27 日]
- ↑ 131.0 131.1 Hamacher, Duane W.; Frew, David J. (2010). "An Aboriginal Australian Record of the Great Eruption of Eta Carinae". Journal of Astronomical History & Heritage 13 (3): 220–234. doi:10.3724/SP.J.1440-2807.2010.03.06. Bibcode: 2010JAHH...13..220H.
- ↑ Stanbridge, W. M. (1857). "On the Astronomy and Mythology of the Aboriginies of Victoria". Transactions Philosophical Institute Victoria 2: 137–140.
- ↑ Overbye, Dennis (12 April 2016). "A Visionary Project Aims for Alpha Centauri, a Star 4.37 Light-Years Away". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/13/science/alpha-centauri-breakthrough-starshot-yuri-milner-stephen-hawking.html.
- ↑ O'Neill, Ian (8 July 2008). "How Long Would it Take to Travel to the Nearest Star?". Universe Today. http://www.universetoday.com/2008/07/08/how-long-would-it-take-to-travel-to-the-nearest-star.
- ↑ Domonoske, Camila (12 April 2016). "Forget Starships: New Proposal Would Use 'Starchips' To Visit Alpha Centauri". NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/12/473960826.
- ↑ "Starshot". Breakthrough Initiatives. https://breakthroughinitiatives.org/Initiative/3.
- ↑ Do Aliens Live at Alpha Centauri? NASA Wants to Send a Mission in 2069 to Find Out
- ↑ Henderson, T. (1842). "The Parallax of α Centauri, deduced from Mr. Maclear's Observations at the Cape of Good Hope, in the Years 1839 and 1840". Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society 12: 370–371. Bibcode: 1842MmRAS..12..329H.
- ↑ Maclear, T. (1851). "Determination of the Parallax of α 1 and α2 Centauri, from Observations made at the Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope, in the Years 1842-3-4 and 1848". Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society 20: 98. Bibcode: 1851MmRAS..20...70M.
- ↑ Moesta, C. G. (1868). "Bestimmung der Parallaxe von α und β Centauri" (in de). Astronomische Nachrichten 71 (8): 117–118. doi:10.1002/asna.18680710802. Bibcode: 1868AN.....71..113M. https://zenodo.org/record/1424671.
- ↑ Gill, David; Elkin, W. L. (1885). "Heliometer-Determinations of Stellar Parallax in the Southern Hemisphere". Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society 48: 188. Bibcode: 1885MmRAS..48....1G.
- ↑ Roberts, Alex W. (1895). "Parallax of α Centauri from Meridian Observations 1879–1881". Astronomische Nachrichten 139 (12): 189–190. doi:10.1002/asna.18961391202. Bibcode: 1895AN....139..177R. https://zenodo.org/record/1424747.
- ↑ Woolley, R.; Epps, E. A.; Penston, M. J.; Pocock, S. B. (1970). "Woolley 559". Catalogue of Stars within 25 Parsecs of the Sun 5: ill. Bibcode: 1970ROAn....5.....W. http://webviz.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-5?-source=V/32A&Woolley=559. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
- ↑ Gliese, W.; Jahreiß, H. (1991). "Gl 559". Preliminary Version of the Third Catalogue of Nearby Stars. Astronomische Rechen-Institut. http://webviz.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-5?-source=V/70A&Name=Gl%20559.
- ↑ Van Altena, W. F.; Lee, J. T.; Hoffleit, E. D. (1995). "GCTP 3309". The General Catalogue of Trigonometric Stellar Parallaxes. Yale University Observatory. http://webviz.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-5?-source=I/238A/picat&GCTP=3309.
- ↑ Perryman (1997). "HIP 71683". The Hipparcos and Tycho Catalogues. http://webviz.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-5?-source=I/239/hip_main&HIP=71683.
- ↑ Perryman (1997). "HIP 71683". The Hipparcos and Tycho Catalogues. http://webviz.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-5?-source=I/239/tyc_main&HIP=71683.
- ↑ Perryman (1997). "HIP 71681". The Hipparcos and Tycho Catalogues. http://webviz.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-5?-source=I/239/hip_main&HIP=71681.
- ↑ Perryman (1997). "HIP 71681". The Hipparcos and Tycho Catalogues. http://webviz.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-5?-source=I/239/tyc_main&HIP=71681.
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- ↑ van Leeuwen, Floor (2007). "HIP 71683". Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction. http://webviz.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-5?-source=I/311&HIP=71683.
- ↑ van Leeuwen, Floor (2007). "HIP 71681". Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction. http://webviz.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/VizieR-5?-source=I/311&HIP=71681.
External links
- SIMBAD observational data
- Sixth Catalogue of Orbits of Visual Binary Stars U.S.N.O.
- The Imperial Star – Alpha Centauri
- Alpha Centauri – A Voyage to Alpha Centauri
- Immediate History of Alpha Centauri
- eSky: Alpha Centauri
Hypothetical planets or exploration
- Alpha Centauri System
- O Sistema Alpha Centauri (Portuguese)
- Alpha Centauri – Associação de Astronomia (Portuguese)
- Thompson, Andrea (7 March 2008). "Nearest Star System Might Harbor Earth Twin". Space.com. http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/080307-another-earth.html.
Coordinates: 14h 39m 36.4951s, −60° 50′ 02.308″
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