Stars have fascinated humans since their origins on planet Earth. They have been a muse for poets, artists, scientists, and writers since the dawn of humanity. We know that the nearest star to Earth is the sun, but what about the stars that exist beyond our solar system? This infographic travels across the universe, providing glimpses at the 44 closest stars after the Sun. Fascinating data on the size, distance, luminosity, and constellations of these stars sheds light on just how expansive the universe is.
Alpha Centauri, the closest star system, is 25.6 trillion miles away, which is more than 276,000 times the distance from Earth to the Sun. Current technology allows space rockets to travel around 17,600 miles per hour, so it would take around 165,000 years to reach the neighboring star system. In 2016, scientists announced the presence of a rocky and temperate planet, called Proxima Centauri b, orbiting the smallest star in the system. Will we ever have the capacity to reach this planet? Only time will tell.
