Negative optical photo of Alpha Centauri,the third brightest star in the sky. Alpha Centauri is in fact a double star; the presence of two stars (A & B) is just discernable here from the double diffraction spikes which surround the image. The pair,along with a faint companion known as Proxima Centauri,form the nearest known star system to our own,at a distance of only 4.3 light years. Alpha Centauri A & B,are about 20 arc seconds apart & orbit each other every 80 years. Proxima Centauri lies over two degrees away,out of the frame of this photograph | |
Licence : | Droits gérés |
Crédit: | Science Photo Library / NOAO |
Taille de l’image : | 5282 px × 3557 px |
Model Release : | Non requis |
Property Release : | Non requis |
Restrictions : |
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