15-Jan-10
Proxima Centauri, the nearest member of the Alpha Centauri triple star system, is the closest known star to the Sun. Light takes only 4,22 years to reach us from Proxima Centauri. This small red star, captured in the centre of the image (left), is so faint that it was only discovered in 1915 and is only visible through a telescope.
- David Malin, UK Schmidt Telescope, DSS, AAO
