What is Rigil Kentaurus made of?
Rigil Kentaurus is a main sequence star of the spectral type G2V. It is a Sun-like star that exhibits coronal variability due to star spots coupled with the effect of rotation. The star is slightly larger and more massive than the Sun, with a mass of 1.100 solar masses and a radius of about 1.2234 solar radii.
How old is Rigil Kentaurus?
Visual Facts
| Primary Name | Rigil Kentaurus | The Sun |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 9.20 Billion Years Old | ~ 4.5 Billion Years |
| Age Range | 8.10 – 10.20 Billion Years Old | |
| Absolute Magnitude | 4.34 / 4.39 | +4.38 |
| Visual / Apparent Magnitude | -0.01 | -26.74 |
Why is Rigil Kentaurus also known as Alpha Centauri?
Rigel Kentaurus is the third-brightest star in the night sky. However, its brightness is due to the proximity of the system — commonly known as Alpha Centauri — which is the sun’s closest neighbor, about 4.3 light-years away from Earth.
How far away is Rigel Kentaurus?
4.367 light years
Alpha Centauri/Distance to Earth
How hot is Rigil Kentaurus?
5,790 K
Alpha Centauri A/Surface temperature
What is the closest solar system to Earth?
The closest star to Earth is a triple-star system called Alpha Centauri. The two main stars are Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B, which form a binary pair. They are about 4.35 light-years from Earth, according to NASA.
How did Rigel Kentaurus get its name?
But Alpha Centauri, our nearest star system, is taking back its ancient moniker, Rigil Kentaurus, which means “foot of the centaur” in Arabic. The star Fomalhaut, for example, had 30.
How many years would it take to travel 4 light years?
Last year, astronomers raised the possibility that our nearest neighbor, Proxima Centauri, has several potentially habitable exoplanets that could fit the bill. Proxima Centauri is 4.2 light-years from Earth, a distance that would take about 6,300 years to travel using current technology.