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                           Astronomy Picture of the Day   
      
       Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our   
         fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation   
                       written by a professional astronomer.   
      
                                  2025 January 1   
         A star field is filled with red-glowing gas. Near the center is a   
      bright star system Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to our Sun.   
             Please see the explanation for more detailed information.   
      
                      Alpha Centauri: The Closest Star System   
      Image Credit & Copyright: Telescope Live, Heaven's Mirror Observatory;   
                            Processing: Chris Cantrell   
      
      Explanation: The closest star system to the Sun is the Alpha Centauri   
      system. Of the three stars in the system, the dimmest -- called Proxima   
      Centauri -- is actually the nearest star. The bright stars Alpha   
      Centauri A and B form a close binary as they are separated by only 23   
      times the Earth- Sun distance - slightly greater than the distance   
      between Uranus and the Sun. The Alphasystem   
      is not visible in much of the northern hemisphere. Alpha Centauri A,   
      also known as Rigil Kentaurus, is the brightest star in the   
      constellation of Centaurus and is the fourth brightest star in the   
      night sky. Sirius is the brightest even though it is more than twice as   
      far away. By an exciting coincidence, Alpha Centauri A is the same type   
      of star as our Sun, and Proxima Centauri is now known to have a   
      potentially habitable exoplanet.   
      
                        Tomorrow's picture: 2024 in the sun   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.   
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                         A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,   
                              NASA Science Activation   
                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
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