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Barnard's star |
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Barnard's starStar, 6 light years away from the Sun, in the constellation Ophiuchus. It is the second-closest star to the Sun, after Alpha Centauri, a triple star, the closest component of which, Proxima Centauri, is 4.2 light years away from the Sun. It is a faint red dwarf of 10th magnitude, visible only through a telescope. It is named after the US astronomer Edward E Barnard (1857–1923), who discovered in 1916 that it has the fastest proper motion (apparent angular motion across the sky) of any star, 10.3 arc seconds per year. Some observations have suggested that Barnard's star may be accompanied by planets, but those observations are now doubted. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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By comparison, Barnard's star resides 6 light-years away, and our nearest neighbor, at a distance of 4 light years, is the system of three stars collectively known as Alpha Centauri. Barnard's star is a particularly famous example of a star with such a wobble, and certain astronomers have followed its motions for decades. |
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