The AsterNym star registry
Proxima Centauri
Proxima Centauri: the deep red star of Centaurus
deep red · Centaurus · α Cen
Proxima Centauri is a deep red star in the constellation Centaurus, one of the few thousand stars bright enough to carry an officially recognised name. It rewards a pair of binoculars on a clear night.
Most stars in the sky are anonymous points of light. Proxima Centauri is not — it has held a name across generations of sky-watchers, which makes it a rare thing to attach a name of your own to.
Real star · Personal dedication · Recorded in the AsterNym registry
See what a dedicated page looks like — preview
Proxima Centauri at a glance
- Constellation
- Centaurus
- Other name
- α Cen
- Catalogue number
- HIP 70890
- Distance
- ≈ 4.0 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 11.01 telescope
- Star type
- M5Ve
- Colour
- deep red
- Best seen from
- The far southern sky
- Right ascension
- 14h 29m 43s
- Declination
- −62° 40′ 46″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Proxima Centauri dedication represent?
Proxima Centauri is especially meaningful for someone who:
- · Deserves something older than any gift shop
- · Marks a beginning, an anniversary or a promise
- · Is remembered every time you look up
- · Has a light you want recorded somewhere permanent
Dedication idea
“For the one I think of when I find Centaurus in the sky.”
Where can you see Proxima Centauri?
It is a deep-southern star: easy from Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa and South America, but it never rises for observers north of about latitude 27°N.
Proxima Centauri belongs to Centaurus.
Dedicate Proxima Centauri to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Proxima Centauri dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Proxima Centauri's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Proxima Centauri keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Proxima Centauri
- Is Proxima Centauri the brightest star?
- Proxima Centauri shines at magnitude 11.01 — a binocular-and-telescope star, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Proxima Centauri?
- Proxima Centauri is approximately 4.0 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 4 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Proxima Centauri?
- Proxima Centauri is part of Centaurus.
- Can everyone see Proxima Centauri?
- It is a deep-southern star: easy from Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa and South America, but it never rises for observers north of about latitude 27°N.
- Is dedicating Proxima Centauri an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Proxima Centauri keeps its internationally recognised astronomical name. An AsterNym dedication records your personal name and message in the AsterNym registry without changing the star's scientific identity.