Preview — this is a sample dedication, shown so you can see what a dedicated star page looks like.
A dedicated star
Proxima Centauri
deep red · Centaurus · α Cen
Dedicated to
Maya
by Her sister, June · August 12, 2026
“You were born on the brightest night of my life. Whenever you feel small, remember: there is a star that has carried your name since before you could read it — and it is still up there, still burning, still yours.”
This dedication
- Dedicated to
- Maya
- Dedicated by
- Her sister, June
- Recorded
- August 12, 2026
- Held until
- August 12, 2027
When this dedication ends, Proxima Centauri becomes available again. Want it? Put the date in your calendar.
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.
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.
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.