Question

Distance from Earth to Proxima Centauri, the next nearest star is:
 A. 4.24 light years
 B. 5.5 light years
 C. 4.0 light years
 D. 3.5 light years

Answer 1

Hint:A light year is an astronomical unit that is defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). It is considered to be equal to the distance that light travels in a particular year. This is approximately 9.4607 $\times$ ${10^{12}}$ km, which is nearly 6 trillion miles or 9 trillion kilometres. Make sure that the unit is not misinterpreted as a unit of time. It is instead, a unit of distance.

Complete step by step answer:
Proxima Centauri is the low massed small star that is the nearest known star to the sun. This is the third part of the triple star system that consists of Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B. Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf with a luminosity of 0.0017L. It is a flare star that belongs to the constellation Centaurus and it was discovered by Robert T A Innes.Proxima Centauri is earth’s next nearest star and it is about 4.24 light years away from the earth.

Hence, we can say that option A is correct among the four options.

Note:Proxima Centauri has been proposed as a flyby destination for interstellar travel, due to the star's proximity to Earth. It currently moves towards the Earth at a rate of 22.2 km/s. After 26,700 years, when it will come within 3.11 light-years, it will begin to move farther away.