Profiles Index

Sirius
Sirius, also known as the Dog Star, is the brightest star in the sky. It is also the sixth closest star to Earth. Its name comes from the Greek word for scorching. At 8.6 light years, it is also one of the closest stars to our own sun. In 1844, F.W. Bessel used analysis of its motion to determine that it had a companion. This companion was confirmed by observations in 1862 and is now known to be a white dwarf.

Epsilon Eridani Information
Epsilon Eridani (tenth closest star to Earth) is the closest star known to have a planet (Epsilon Eridani b), and an unconfirmed second planet (Epsilon Eridani c). While it is smaller, cooler and slightly less luminous than our own sun, Epsilon Eridani is visible to the naked eye. It is the third closest star that is viewable without a telescope.

Acamar Information
Acamar means the end of the river (Eridanus) before the star Achernar was added to the constellation. Acamar means the end of the river (Eridanus) before the star Achernar was added to the constellation.

Lalande 21185 Information
The fifth closest star to our own sun is called Lalande 21185. While it is only about 8.3 light years away, it is about three times too faint to be seen with the naked eye. The star was first listed by Joseph-Jerome Lefrancais de Lalande (1732-1807). De Lalande became director of the Paris Observatory in 1795, produced the most comprehensive catalog for his time of 47,390 star positions (the Histoire Céleste Française) in 1801. Like Wolf 359, Lalande 21185 is a red dwarf.

Wolf 359 Information
Wolf 359 is more than just the location of a major battle on Star Trek the Next Generation. It is also the fourth closest star to our own sun. While it is only about 7.7 light years away, it is much to dim to be seen with the naked eye. It was discovered by Maximilian Franz Joseph Cornelius Wolf (1863-1932), a pioneer of astrophotography. Wolf 359 is a red dwarf. If it were to replace our sun, an observer on Earth would need a telescope to see it clearly. Wolf 359 is in the constellation Leo.

Barnard's Star Information
The third closest star to our our own solar system is Barnard's Star. It is a faint red dwarf star, discovered in 1916 by E. E. Barnard, an observer known also for his discoveries of 16 comets. Astronomers have noted a slight irregularity in its motion, indicating a possible companion. Recent efforts to discover planets around Barnard's Star have failed. Barnard's Star is in the constellation Ophiuchus.

Proxima Centauri Information
The closest star to our our own solar system will not always be closest, but it will be a long time before that happens. Proxima Centauri is the third star in the Alpha Centauri star system Also known as Alpha Centauri C, it circles its two companions at about 930 billion miles. This orbit takes millions of years, but will eventually carry Proxima far enough that its companions,collectively known as Rigel Kentaurus, will be closer. It is a red dwarf star, much smaller and cooler than the Sun.

Ross 248 Information
Now the 9th closest star to us, around 38,000AD, red dwarf Ross 248 will take the place of Proxima Centauri as the closest star. However, it is moving so fast, it will only retain that title for about 9000 years. Ross 248 is a flare star and was discovered discovered in 1925 by Frank Elmore Ross. The Voyeger 2 is currently on a path that will carry it very close to Ross 248 in approximately 40,000 years, which by that time will only be about 1.7 light years away.

Ross 154 Information
The eighth closest star to, our solar system is Ross 154. This Red Dwarf was discovered in 1925 by Frank Elmore Ross (1874-1960), who is known for taking the first good infrared and ultraviolet photographs of Venus in 1923. Ross 154 appears to be a flare star, which means that it can increase its brightness by a factor of 10 or more before reverting to its normal state, a process which takes only a few minutes.

Arcturus Information
Arcturus is the brightest star in the constellation Bootes, which is one of the oldest constellations in the night sky. It is the 4th-brightest star in the entire sky. Arcturus means bear guard, as it overlooks the constellation Ursa Major. It is an orange giant with a diameter about 10 times that of the sun and a luminosity about 100 times that of the sun. At about 36 light-years, Arcturus is one of the nearest giant stars. Arcturus is located in the constellation Bootes.

Luyten 726-8A Information
Luyten 726-8A is primary of a binary star system also including Luyten 726-8B is the sixth closest star to our own sun. It was discovered by Willem Jacob Luyten (1899-1994). Both stars are red dwarfs and too faint to be seen with the naked eye. They are approximately 1/10 the mass of our sun and about 145 of its diameter. Luyten 726-8A is in the constellation Cetus.

Rigel Information
The seventh brightest star in the sky, Rigel's name is from the Arabic for foot, indicating its place in the constellation Orion. It is a blue supergiant and part of a 4 star system, consisting of 2 binary stars. Rigel is approximately 1400 light-years from earth. Rigel is in the constellation Orion.

Betelgeuse Information
Betelgeuse is the tenth brightest star in the sky. It is a red supergiant about 13,000 times brighter than our sun and over 1000 times larger. If you placed Betelgeuse in the place of our sun, it would extend past the orbit of Jupiter. Its name is from the Arabic armpit, and is near the right shoulder of Orion. It is nearing the end of its life and will soon become a supernova. Betelgeuse is in the constellation Orion.

Procyon Information
Procyon is the eighth brightest star night sky. It is a yellow-white star and at 11.4 light years, one of the closer stars to Earth. Its name is from the Greek meaning before the dog, i.e., before the Dog Star, Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. It is a visual binary star. Procyon is in the constellation Canis Minor.

Canopus Information
Canopus is the 2nd brightest star in the sky. Its name either comes from an ancient city in northern Egypt or the helmsman for Menelaus. Menelaus was the king of Sparta during the Trojan war. He was brother of Agamemnon & married to Helen, the cause of the war. Canopus is so bright it is used as a reference point for navigation of spacecraft launched on interplanetary missions. It is located in the southern sky and not visible north of Norfolk, VA. Canopus is located in the constellation Carina

Achernar Information
The ninth brightest star night sky is Achernar. It is a bluish-white white supergiant star that is about 69 light years from Earth. Its name is from the Arabic meaning end of the river, in this case, the river being Eridanus. Achernar is in the constellation [link url=http://space.about.com/od/starsplanetsgalaxies/ig/Constellations-Pictures/eridanus.htm]Eridanus[/link].

Capella Information
The sixth brightest star in the sky, Capella's name is from the Latin for little she-goat. Capella is a yellow giant star, like our own sun, but much larger. It is part of a binary star sysem with a red giant star. The two orbit around each other once every 104 days. Capella is approximately 41 light-years from earth. Capella is in the constellation Auriga.

Vega Information
Vega is the fifth brightest star in the sky. Its name comes from the Arabic for the swooping eagle. Vega is about 26 light-years from Earth. It is three times the size of the sun and 50 times as luminous. Vega is located in the constellation Lyra.

Rigil Kentaurus Information
Rigel Kentaurus, also known as Alpha Centauri, is the third brightest star in the sky. Its name literally means foot of the centaur. It is actually a triple star system made up of Alpha Centauri A, Alpha Centauri B, and Alpha Centauri C (also known as Proxima Centauri because it is the closet star to earth). Rigel Kentaurus is located in the constellation Centaurus.