Proxima Centauri vs Rigil Kentaurus
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| Property | Proxima Centauri | Rigil Kentaurus |
|---|---|---|
| Designation | N/A | Alp1Cen |
| Constellation | Centaurus | Centaurus |
| Spectral Class | Class M — M-type (Red) | Class G — G-type (Yellow) |
| Apparent Magnitude | +11.01 | -0.01 |
| Absolute Magnitude | 15.45 | 4.38 |
| Distance | 4.2 ly | 4.3 ly |
| Mass | N/A | N/A |
| Radius | N/A | N/A |
| Temperature | N/A | N/A |
| Luminosity | N/A | N/A |
Key Differences
- ◆ Both are members of the Alpha Centauri system, the nearest stellar system to the Sun.
- ◆ Rigil Kentaurus (Alpha Cen A) is a G-type solar analog; Proxima Centauri is an M-type red dwarf.
- ◆ Rigil Kentaurus is slightly more massive and luminous than the Sun; Proxima Centauri has just 12% of the Sun's mass.
- ◆ Proxima Centauri orbits the Alpha Centauri AB pair at a vast distance of roughly 0.2 light-years.
- ◆ Rigil Kentaurus is visible to the naked eye at magnitude −0.01; Proxima is invisible without a telescope.