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Alpha Centauri or Alpha of the Centaur or Rigil Kentaurus is a system of three very close star S: Alpha Centauri has and Alpha Centauri B is the two principal stars which form a star doubles, and Proxima Centauri is a Naine red much less luminous, which is the star nearest to the Sun. With the naked eye, this system seems the most brilliant star of the Constellation of the Centaur and the more brilliant third of all the sky. Alpha Centauri is too with the southern to be visible in the major part of the northern Hemisphere.
A triple star
Alpha Centauri has is a star of spectral Type G2, very similar to the Sun, though a little larger and more luminous. Alpha Centauri B is a little less luminous and of spectral type K1. They Orbit NT one around the other on one 80 years period, their distance varying of 11,2 to 35,6 astronomical units.
Of three stars, it is Proxima Centauri which is closest to us, with 4,22 light-years, that is to say 270 000 times the distance enter the Ground and the Sun. Proxima is a Naine red of Magnitude connect 11, therefore too much weak to be seen with the naked eye. It is distant from Centauri Alpha by 13 000 astronomical units and orbit perhaps around this one with one period of approximately 500 000 years; for this reason, Proxima is sometimes called Alpha Centauri C . Although it is not certain that this orbit exists, association between these three stars is not entirely accidental because Proxima and the principal couple moves together in parallel.
Possibility of planet formation
Data-processing models of planetary formation suggest that telluric planets could be formed around Alpha Centauri has and B, but that gas planets like Jupiter and Saturn could not be formed because the gravitational effects caused by double star would prevent this formation. Being given the similarities of this stellar system from the standard point of view of star, age, stability of the orbit, it was suggested that it could hold best the possibilities of holding a extraterrestrial Vie.
Some believe that a planet which would be formed in the system of Centauri Alpha would be very dry, because it is thought that the presence of gas planets, much more massive, is essential to attract the Comet S and thus to provide telluric planets in Eau. It would not be a problem however if Alpha Centauri B played the same part as the gas planets for the sun for Alpha Centauri has, and vice versa. The two stars have a good spectral Type to shelter the life on a potential planet.
To have a terrestrial temperature, a planet orbits about it around Alpha Centauri has should be located at 1,25 ua, that is to say halfway between the orbit of the Earth and Mars in our solar system. It should be located at 0,7 ua, that is to say the equivalent of the Venus orbit for Alpha Centauri B which is colder and less luminous.
References
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