Definitions for alpha centauri
al·pha cen·tau·ri

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Alpha Centauri, Rigil Kent, Rigilnoun

   brightest star in Centaurus; second nearest star to the sun

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Alpha Centaurinoun

   The brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus. It is actually a binary star with Proxima Centauri as a third component.

2. Etymology: From α (brightest) + Centauri ("of the constellation Centaurus")

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Alpha Centauri

   Alpha Centauri (α Centauri, Alpha Cen, or α Cen) is a triple star system in the southern constellation of Centaurus. It consists of 3 stars: Rigil Kentaurus (Alpha Centauri A), Toliman (B) and Proxima Centauri (C). Proxima Centauri is also 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), and together they form the binary star system Alpha Centauri AB. To the naked eye, the 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 only by 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 times the Sun's mass and less than 0.5 times its luminosity. The pair orbit around a common centre with an orbital period of 79 years. 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 AU (0.21 ly), 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. The existence of Proxima c, a mini-Neptune 1.5 AU away discovered in 2019, is controversial. Alpha Centauri A may have a candidate Neptune-sized planet in the habitable zone, though it is not yet known to be planetary in nature and could be an artifact of the discovery mechanism. Alpha Centauri B has no known planets: planet Bb, purportedly discovered in 2012, was later disproven, and no other planet has yet been confirmed.

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1. alpha centauri

   Alpha Centauri is the closest star system to the Solar System, located approximately 4.37 light years away. It is a triple star system, consisting of three stars: Alpha Centauri A (or Rigil Kentaurus), Alpha Centauri B, and Alpha Centauri C (or Proxima Centauri). The latter is the closest individual star to the Sun. This star system is located in the constellation of Centaurus and is visible in the southern sky.

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Alpha Centauri

   Alpha Centauri is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus, and the third brightest star in the night sky. The Alpha Centauri system is located 1.34 parsecs or 4.37 light years from the Sun, making it the closest star system to the Solar System. Although it appears to the unaided eye as a single object, Alpha Centauri is actually a binary star system whose combined visual magnitude of −0.27 makes it the third brightest star seen from Earth after the −1.46 magnitude Sirius and the −0.72 magnitude Canopus. Its individual component stars are named Alpha Centauri A, with 110% of the mass and 151.9% the luminosity of the Sun, and Alpha Centauri B, at 90.7% of the Sun's mass and 44.5% of its luminosity. During the pair's 79.91-year orbit about a common center, the distance between them varies from about that between Pluto and the Sun to that between Saturn and the Sun. A third star, known as Proxima Centauri, Proxima, or Alpha Centauri C, is probably gravitationally associated with Alpha Centauri AB. Proxima is at the slightly smaller distance of 1.29 parsecs or 4.24 light years from the Sun, making it the closest star to the Sun, even though it is not visible to the naked eye. The separation of Proxima from Alpha Centauri AB is about 0.06 parsecs, 0.2 light years or 13,000 astronomical units; equivalent to 400 times the size of Neptune's orbit.

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1. alpha centauri

   Song lyrics by alpha centauri -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by alpha centauri on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

1. • Binary Star

How to pronounce alpha centauri?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say alpha centauri in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of alpha centauri in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of alpha centauri in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3

Examples of alpha centauri in a Sentence

1. Philip Lubin:

   We could propel a 100 kilogram robotic craft to Mars in a few days. If you want to push something like shuttle class, it takes you roughly in order of month to get there, within 25 year light of Earth, there are actually quite a few potential exoplanets and habitable things to visit - that may be habitable. We don’t know of course. There are many targets to choose from. The closest is Alpha Centauri, which is about four light years away.

2. Douglas Adams:

   In those days spirits were brave, the stakes were high, men were real men, women were real women and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were real small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri.

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=alpha centauri
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Alpha_Centauri
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Centauri
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=alpha centauri