Alpha Centauri

Alpha Centauri (α Centauri, α Cen, or Alpha Cen) is a triple star system in the southern constellation of
Centaurus. It consists of three stars: Rigil Kentaurus (α Centauri A), Toliman (α Centauri B), and Proxima
Centauri (α Centauri C).[14] Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun at 4.2465 light-years (1.3020 pc).

α Centauri A and B are Sun-like stars (class G and K, respectively) that together form the binary star system
α 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.

α Centauri A has 1.1 times the mass and 1.5 times the luminosity of the Sun, while α Centauri B is smaller and
cooler, at 0.9 solar mass and less than 0.5 solar luminosity.[15] The pair orbit around a common centre with an
orbital period of 79 years.[16] Their elliptical orbit is eccentric, so that the distance between A and B varies from
35.6 astronomical units (��), or about the distance between Pluto and the Sun, to 11.2 ��, or about the distance
between Saturn and the Sun.

α 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
α Centauri AB. Currently, the distance between Proxima Centauri and α Centauri AB is about 13,000 AU
(0.21 ly),[17] 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.[18] The
existence of Proxima c, a mini-Neptune 1.5 �� away discovered in 2019, is controversial.[19] α 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.[20] α Centauri B has no known planets: Planet
α Cen Bb, purportedly discovered in 2012, was later disproven,[21] and no other planet has yet been confirmed.

Etymology and nomenclature

α Centauri (Latinised to Alpha Centauri) is the system's designation given by J. Bayer in 1603. It belongs to the
constellation Centaurus, named after the half human, half horse creature in Greek mythology. Hercules
accidentally wounded the centaur and placed him in the sky after his death. Alpha Centauri marks the right front
hoof of the Centaur.[22] The common name Rigil Kentaurus is a Latinisation of the Arabic translation ‫ﺭﺟﻞ ﺍﻟﻘﻨﻄﻮﺭﺱ‬
Rijl al-Qinṭūrus, meaning "the Foot of the Centaur".[23][24] Qinṭūrus is the Arabic transliteration of the Greek
Κένταυρος (Kentaurus).[25] The name is frequently abbreviated to Rigil Kent or even Rigil, though the latter
name is better known for Rigel (β Orionis).[26]

An alternative name found in European sources, Toliman, is an approximation of the Arabic ‫ ﺍﻟﻈﻠﻴﻤﺎﻥ‬aẓ-Ẓalīmān
(in older transcription, aṭ-Ṭhalīmān), meaning 'the (two male) Ostriches', an appellation Zakariya al-Qazwini had
applied to the pair of stars Lambda and Mu Sagittarii; it was often not clear on old star maps which name was
intended to go with which star (or stars), and the referents changed over time.[27]

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', originally for Beta Centauri (the other hoof).[26]

α Centauri C was discovered in 1915 by Robert T. A. Innes,[28] who suggested that it be named Proxima
Centaurus,[29] from Latin 'the nearest [star] of Centaurus'.[30] The name Proxima Centauri later became more
widely used and is now listed by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) as the approved proper name;[31]
[32] commonly, it is frequently abbreviated to Proxima.

In 2016, the Working Group on Star Names of the IAU,[14] having decided to attribute proper names to individual
component stars rather than to multiple systems,[33] approved the name Rigil Kentaurus (/ˈraɪdʒəl kɛnˈtɔːrəs/) as
being restricted to α Centauri A and the name Proxima Centauri (/ˈprɒksɪmə sɛnˈtɔːraɪ/) for α Centauri C .[34] On
10 August 2018, the IAU approved the name Toliman (/ˈtɒlɪmæn/) for α Centauri B .[35]

Observation
To the naked eye, α Centauri AB appears to be a single star, the
brightest in the southern constellation of Centaurus.[36] Their
apparent angular separation varies over about 80 years between 2
and 22 arcseconds (the naked eye has a resolution of 60 arcsec),[37]
but through much of the orbit, both are easily resolved in binoculars
or small telescopes.[38] 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.[36] It is the outer star of The
Pointers or The Southern Pointers,[38] so called because the line
through Beta Centauri (Hadar/Agena),[39] some 4.5° west,[38] points
to the constellation Crux—the Southern Cross.[38] The Pointers easily
distinguish the true Southern Cross from the fainter asterism known Location of α Cen in Centaurus
as the False Cross.[40]

South of about 29° South latitude, α Cen is circumpolar and never sets below the horizon.[b] 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.[39] The
star culminates each year at local midnight on 24 April and at local 9 p.m. on 8 June.[39][41]

As seen from Earth, Proxima Centauri is 2.2° southwest from α Centauri AB ; this distance is about four times the
angular diameter of the Moon.[42] 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.[43] Some amateur
and professional astronomers regularly monitor for outbursts using either optical or radio telescopes.[44] 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).[45]

Alpha Centauri may be inside the G-cloud of the Local Bubble,[46] and its nearest known system is the binary
brown dwarf system Luhman 16, at 3.6 light-years (1.1 parsecs) from Alpha Centauri.[47]

Observational history
Alpha Centauri is listed in the 2nd century the star catalog appended to
Ptolemy's Almagest. He gave its ecliptic coordinates, but texts differ as to
whether the ecliptic latitude reads 44° 10′ South or 41° 10′ South.[48]
(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 View of Alpha Centauri from the
Digitized Sky Survey-2
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.[49]
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.[50]

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 Bessel released his own accurately determined
parallax for 61 Cygni in 1838.[51] 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.[51] (The distance of
Alpha Centauri from the Earth is now reckoned at 4.396 light-years or 4.159 × 1013 km.)

Later, John Herschel made the first micrometrical observations in 1834.[53]

Since the early 20th century, measures have been made with photographic
plates.[54]

By 1926, William Stephen Finsen calculated the approximate orbit elements

close to those now accepted for this system.[55] All future positions are now
sufficiently accurate for visual observers to determine the relative places of
the stars from a binary star ephemeris.[56] Others, like D. Pourbaix (2002),
α Centauri A (left) is of the same have regularly refined the precision of new published orbital elements.[16]
stellar type G2 as the Sun, while
α Centauri B (right) is a K1-type star.
Robert T. A. Innes discovered Proxima Centauri in 1915 by blinking
[52]
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 α Centauri AB, which suggested that Proxima Centauri is part of the α Centauri system and
slightly closer to Earth than α Centauri AB . As such, Innes concluded that Proxima Centauri was the closest star
to Earth yet discovered.

Kinematics
All components of α Centauri display significant proper motion against the
background sky. Over centuries, this causes their apparent positions to slowly
change.[57] 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.[58] In 1718, Edmond Halley
found that some stars had significantly moved from their ancient astrometric
positions.[59]

In the 1830s, Thomas Henderson discovered the true distance to α Centauri

Diagram of the closest stars to the
Sun by analysing his many astrometric mural circle observations.[60][61] He then
realised this system also likely had a high proper motion.[62][63][55] In this
case, the apparent stellar motion was found using Nicolas Louis de Lacaille's
astrometric observations of 1751–1752,[64] by the observed differences between the two measured positions in
different epochs.

Calculated proper motion of the centre of mass for α 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.[65][c] 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.[65] 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.[66]

Since α 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, α 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.[65]

Predicted future changes

Based on the system's common proper
motion and radial velocities, α Centauri
will continue to change its position in the
sky significantly and will gradually
brighten. For example, in about 6,200 CE,
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
Distances of the nearest stars from
southern sky.[67] It will then pass just
20,000 years ago until 80,000 years
north of the Southern Cross or Crux,
in the future
before moving northwest and up towards Animation showing motion of
α Centauri through the sky. (The
the present celestial equator and away
other stars are held fixed for didactic
from the galactic plane. By about 26,700 CE, in the present-day constellation reasons) "Oggi" means today; "anni"
of Hydra, α Centauri will reach perihelion at 0.90 pc or 2.9 ly away,[68] means years.
though later calculations suggest that this will occur in 27,000 AD.[69] At its
nearest approach, α 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.[70]

Stellar system
Alpha Centauri is a triple star system, with its two main stars, A and 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.[71] 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.[72]

Orbital properties
The A and B components of Alpha Centauri have an orbital period of 79.762 years. 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 × 109 km), or about the distance between the Sun and Saturn; and their furthest separation or apastron is
35.6 AU (5.33 × 109 km), about the distance between the Sun and Pluto.[16] 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.[16] The closest recent approach
was in February 2016, at 4.0 arcsec through the PA of 300°.[16][74] The observed maximum separation of these
stars is about 22 arcsec, while the minimum distance is 1.7 arcsec.[55] The widest separation occurred during
February 1976, and the next will be in January 2056.[16]

Alpha Centauri C is about 13,000 AU (0.21 ly; 1.9 ×1012 km) from Alpha Centauri AB, equivalent to about 5% of
the distance between Alpha Centauri AB and the Sun.[17][42][54] 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.[17] The
+41 000
orbital period of Proxima Centauri is approximately 511 000 −30 000 years,
with an eccentricity of 0.5, much more eccentric than Mercury's. Proxima
+700
Centauri comes within 4100 −600 AU of AB at periastron, and its apastron
+200
occurs at 12 300 −100 AU.[5]

Physical properties
Apparent and true orbits of Alpha
Centauri. The A component is held Asteroseismic studies, chromospheric activity, and stellar rotation
stationary, and the relative orbital (gyrochronology) are all consistent with the Alpha Centauri system being
motion of the B component is similar in age to, or slightly older than, the Sun.[75] Asteroseismic analyses
shown. The apparent orbit (thin that incorporate tight observational constraints on the stellar parameters for
ellipse) is the shape of the orbit as
the Alpha Centauri stars have yielded age estimates of 4.85 ± 0.5 Gyr,[76]
seen by an observer on Earth. The
true orbit is the shape of the orbit
5.0 ± 0.5 Gyr,[77] 5.2 ± 1.9 Gyr,[78] 6.4 Gyr,[79] and 6.52 ± 0.3 Gyr.[80] Age
viewed perpendicular to the plane of estimates for the stars based on chromospheric activity (Calcium H & K
the orbital motion. According to the emission) yield 4.4 ± 2.1 Gyr, whereas gyrochronology yields 5.0 ± 0.3 Gyr.[75]
radial velocity versus time,[73] the Stellar evolution theory implies both stars are slightly older than the Sun at 5
radial separation of A and B along to 6 billion years, as derived by their mass and spectral characteristics.[42][81]
the line of sight had reached a
maximum in 2007, with B being From the orbital elements, the total mass of Alpha Centauri AB is about
further from Earth than A. The orbit 2.0 M☉[d] – or twice that of the Sun.[55] The average individual stellar masses
is divided here into 80 points: each
are about 1.08 M☉ and 0.91 M☉, respectively,[5] though slightly different
step refers to a timestep of approx.
0.99888 years or 364.84 days.
masses have also been quoted in recent years, such as 1.14 M☉ and 0.92 M☉,
[82] totalling 2.06 M . Alpha Centauri A and B have absolute magnitudes of
☉
+4.38 and +5.71, respectively.

Alpha Centauri AB System

The relative sizes and colours of Alpha Centauri A

stars in the Alpha Centauri system, Alpha Centauri A, also known as Rigil Kentaurus, is the principal member, or
compared to the Sun
primary, of the binary system. It is a solar-like main-sequence star with a
similar yellowish colour,[83] whose stellar classification is spectral type G2-V;
[3] it is about 10% more massive than the Sun,[76] with a radius about 22% larger.[84] 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.[85]

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;[83] 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.[86] Its light curve varies on a short time scale, and there has been at least one observed
flare.[86] 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.[85] Alpha
Centauri B has an apparent magnitude of +1.35, slightly dimmer than Mimosa.[34]
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☉.[87] It is the closest star
to the Sun but is too faint to be visible to the naked eye.[88]

Relative positions of Sun, Alpha Centauri AB and Proxima Centauri. Grey dot is projection of Proxima

Planetary system A radar map of all stellar objects or stellar

systems within 9 light years (ly) from its center the
The Alpha Centauri system as a whole has two confirmed planets, Sun (Sol). Just next to Alpha Centauri is Proxima
both of them around Proxima Centauri. While other planets have Centauri: marked, but unlabelled. The diamond-
been claimed to exist around all of the stars, none of the shapes are their positions entered according to
right ascension in hours angle (indicated at the
discoveries have been confirmed.
edge of the map's reference disc), and according
to their declination. The second mark shows
Planets of Proxima Centauri each's distance from Sol, with the concentric
circles indicating the distance in steps of 1 ly.
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 ME (Earth masses) and orbits approximately 0.049 AU from Proxima
Centauri, placing it in the star's habitable zone.[89][90]

The discovery of Proxima Centauri c was formally published in 2020 and could be a super-Earth or mini-
Neptune.[91][92] It has a mass of roughly 7 ME and orbits about 1.49 �� from Proxima Centauri with a period of
1,928 days (5.28 yr).[93] In June 2020, a possible direct imaging detection of the planet hinted at the presence of
a large ring system.[94] However, a 2022 study disputed the existence of this planet.[19]

A 2020 paper refining Proxima b's mass excludes the presence of extra companions with masses above 0.6 ME 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 ME.[90] This planet, Proxima Centauri d, was
confirmed in 2022.[18][19]

Planets of Alpha Centauri A

The Alpha Centauri A planetary system

Companion Semimajor Orbital

(in order from Mass axis period Eccentricity Inclination Radius
star) (AU) (days)

b 9~35[e]
1.1 ~360 — ~65 ± 25° 3.3~7 R�
(unconfirmed) M�
The discovery image of Alpha
Centauri's candidate Neptunian
In 2021, a candidate planet named Candidate 1 (abbreviated as C1) was planet, marked here as "C1"
detected around Alpha Centauri A, thought to orbit at approximately 1.1 ��
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.[95][20] 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.[96]
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.[97] The coronographic observations, which occurred
on July 26 and 27, 2023, were failures, though there are follow-up observations in March 2024.[98] Pre-launch
estimates predicted that JWST will be able to find planets with a radius of 5 R� at 1–3 ��. Multiple observations
every 3–6 months could push the limit down to 3 R�.[99] Post-processing techniques could push the limit down to
0.5–0.7 R�.[97] 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 0.5–2.5 ��.[100] Candidate 1 has an
estimated radius between 3.3–11 R�[20] and orbits at 1.1 ��. It is therefore likely within the reach of JWST
observations.

Planets of Alpha Centauri B

The first claim of a planet around Alpha Centauri B was that of Alpha Centauri Bb in 2012, which was proposed to
be an Earth-mass planet in a 3.2-day orbit.[101] This was refuted in 2015 when the apparent planet was shown to
be an artifact of the way the radial velocity data was processed.[102][103][21]

A search for transits of planet Bb was conducted with the Hubble Space Telescope from 2013 to 2014. This search
detected one potential transit-like event, which could be associated with a different planet 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.[104] It could have lakes of molten lava and would be far too close to Alpha Centauri
B to harbour life.[105] 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.

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.[106] All the observational studies have so
far failed to find evidence for brown dwarfs or gas giants.[106][107]

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 0.5–0.9 �� 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.[108] 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.[109] A theoretical study
indicates that a radial velocity analysis might detect a hypothetical planet of 1.8 ME in Alpha Centauri B's
habitable zone.[110]

Radial velocity measurements of Alpha Centauri B made with the High Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher
spectrograph were sufficiently sensitive to detect a 4 ME planet within the habitable zone of the star (i.e. with an
orbital period P = 200 days), but no planets were detected.[101]

Current estimates place the probability of finding an Earth-like planet around Alpha Centauri at roughly 75%.[111]
The observational thresholds for planet detection in the habitable zones by the radial velocity method are
currently (2017) estimated to be about 50 ME for Alpha Centauri A, 8 ME for Alpha Centauri B, and 0.5 ME for
Proxima Centauri.[112]

Early computer-generated models of planetary formation predicted the existence of terrestrial planets around
both Alpha Centauri A and B,[110][113] but most recent numerical investigations have shown that the gravitational
pull of the companion star renders the accretion of planets difficult.[108][114] 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][109][115][113]

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.[116] 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 α Centauri system, Proxima
Centauri may have influenced the planetary disk as the α Centauri system was forming, enriching the area around
Alpha Centauri with volatile materials.[117] This would be discounted if, for example, α Centauri B happened to
have gas giants orbiting α Centauri A (or vice versa), or if α 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.[116]
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.[116] 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.
[68]

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 AU so as to have similar planetary temperatures and conditions for liquid water to exist.[118] For the
slightly less luminous and cooler α Centauri B, the habitable zone is between about 0.7 and 1.2 AU.[118]

With the goal of finding evidence of such planets, both Proxima Centauri and α 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 �� of a "Tier-1" target would have been possible with this new instrument.
[119] The S.I.M. mission, however, was cancelled due to financial issues in 2010.[120]

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.[121] 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.[121] If such a disc existed around both stars,
α Centauri A's disc would likely be stable to 2.8 ��, and α Centauri B's would likely be stable to 2.5 �� [121] This
would put A's disc entirely within the frost line, and a small part of B's outer disc just outside.[121]

View from this system

The sky from α Centauri AB would appear much as it does from the Earth,
except that Centaurus's brightest star, being α Centauri AB itself, would be
absent from the constellation. The Sun would appear as a white star of
apparent magnitude +0.5,[122] roughly the same as the average brightness of
Betelgeuse from Earth. It would be at the antipodal point of α 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 Looking towards the sky around
of Cassiopeia would have a "/W" shape.[123] Orion from Alpha Centauri with
Sirius near Betelgeuse, Procyon in
The Winter Triangle would not look equilateral, but very thin and long, with Gemini, and the Sun in Cassiopeia
Procyon outshining Pollux in the middle of Gemini, and Sirius lying less than generated by Celestia

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.
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 �� 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 5.7–8.6 magnitudes dimmer (−21.0 to
−18.2), 190–2,700 times dimmer than α Cen A but still 150–2,100 times
brighter than the full Moon. Conversely, an Earth-like planet at 0.71 �� 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 4.6–7.3 magnitudes Simulated night-sky image with a
dimmer (−22.1 to −19.4), 70 to 840 times dimmer than α Cen B but still 470– "W" of stars from Cassiopeia
connected by lines, and the Sun,
5,700 times brighter than the full Moon.
labeled "Sol", as it would appear to
the left of the "W"
Proxima Centauri would appear dim as one of many stars.[124]

Other names
In modern literature, colloquial alternative names of Alpha Centauri include Rigil Kent[125] (also Rigel Kent and
variants;[f] /ˈraɪdʒəl ˈkɛnt/)[23][129] and Toliman[130] (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,[131] which is sometimes further abbreviated to Rigil or Rigel, though that
is ambiguous with β 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 ‫ ﺍﻟﻈﻠﻤﺎﻥ‬al-Ẓulmān "the ostriches", the name of an asterism of which Alpha
Centauri formed the main star.[132][133][134]

During the 19th century, the northern amateur popularist E.H. Burritt used the now-obscure name Bungula,[135]
possibly coined from "β" and the Latin ungula ("hoof").[23]

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.[67]

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.[136]

To the Indigenous Boorong people of northwestern Victoria in Australia, Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri are
Bermbermgle,[137] two brothers noted for their courage and destructiveness, who speared and killed Tchingal
"The Emu" (the Coalsack Nebula).[138] The form in Wotjobaluk is Bram-bram-bult.[137]

Future exploration
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.[139][140][141] An objective of such a mission would be to make a fly-
by of, and possibly photograph, planets that might exist in the system.[142]
[143] The existence of Proxima Centauri b, announced by the European
The Very Large Telescope and
Southern Observatory (ESO) in August 2016, would be a target for the Alpha Centauri
Starshot program.[142][144]

NASA released a mission concept in 2017 that would send a spacecraft to Alpha Centauri in 2069, scheduled to
coincide with the 100th anniversary of the first crewed lunar landing in 1969, Apollo 11. Even at speed 10% of the
speed of light (about 108 million km/h), which NASA experts say may be possible, it would take a spacecraft
44 years to reach the constellation, by the year 2113, and would take another 4 years for a signal, by the year 2117
to reach Earth. The concept received no further funding or development.[145][146]

Historical distance estimates

Alpha Centauri AB historical distance estimates [hide]

Distance
Parallax
Source Year Subject light- References
(mas) parsecs petametres
years

H. +0.09 +2.8 [60]

1839 AB 1160 ± 110 0.86 −0.07 2.81 ± 0.53 26.6 −2.3
Henderson

T. +2.5 [147]
1842 AB 912.8 ± 64 1.10 ± 0.15 3.57 ± 0.5 33.8 −2.2
Henderson
+0.14 [148]
Maclear 1851 AB 918.7 ± 34 1.09 ± 0.04 3.55 −0.13 32.4 ± 2.5

+0.10 +0.31 +2.9 [149]

Moesta 1868 AB 880 ± 68 1.14 −0.08 3.71 −0.27 35.1 −2.5

+0.6 [150]
Gill & Elkin 1885 AB 750 ± 10 1.333 ± 0.018 4.35 ± 0.06 41.1 −0.5

+3.3 [151]
Roberts 1895 AB 710 ± 50 1.32 ± 0.2 4.29 ± 0.65 43.5 −2.9

Woolley et [152]
1970 AB 743 ± 7 1.346 ± 0.013 4.39 ± 0.04 41.5 ± 0.4
al.

Gliese & [153]

1991 AB 749.0 ± 4.7 1.335 ± 0.008 4.355 ± 0.027 41.20 ± 0.26
Jahreiß

van Altena +0.032 +0.30 [154]

1995 AB 749.9 ± 5.4 1.334 ± 0.010 4.349 −0.031 41.15 −0.29
et al.

Perryman 41.58 ± 0.08[155]

1997 AB 742.12 ± 1.40 1.3475 ± 0.0025 4.395 ± 0.008 [156]
et al.
+0.0022 [157]
Söderhjelm 1999 AB 747.1 ± 1.2 1.3385 −0.0021 4.366 ± 0.007 41.30 ± 0.07

+0.024 [158]
A 754.81 ± 4.11 1.325 ± 0.007 4.321 −0.023 40.88 ± 0.22
van
2007
Leeuwen +0.14 [159]
B 796.92 ± 25.90 1.25 ± 0.04 4.09 −0.13 37.5 ± 2.5

RECONS
2012 AB 747.23 ± 1.17[g] 1.3383 ± 0.0021 4.365 ± 0.007 41.29 ± 0.06 [82]
TOP100

In culture
Alpha Centauri has been recognized and associated throughout history, particularly on the southern hemisphere.
Polynesians have been using Alpha Centauri for their star navigation and have called it Kamailehope. In
Aboriginal culture Alpha Centauri represents with Beta Centauri a shark chasing a sting ray, the Southern Cross,
and in Incan culture it with Beta Centauri the eyes of a Llama shaped dark nebula constellation embedded in the
band of stars that the visible Milky Way forms in the sky. More northern ancient cultures, like in ancient Egypt it
was also revered and in China it is known as part of the South Gate constellation.[160]

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