the brightest component of Alpha Centauri is the star Alpha Centauri A, or Rigil Kentaraus, which means "foot of the centaur" in Arabic and, confusingly, is also an alternative name for the whole ...

Now, they’re going to divide the astronomy community again. Goodbye, Alpha Centauri. Hello, Rigil Kentaurus. The decision was announced November 24 as the United States celebrated Thanksgiving.

For example, the binary star Alpha Centauri, which lies 4.35 light-years from the sun, is now known officially as "Rigil Kentaurus," the ancient name for the system. [What Do We Know About Alpha ...

In 2016, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially renamed Alpha Centauri A to Rigil Kentaurus — based on its ancient Arabic name, which means “foot of the Centaur.” (Like ...

Alpha Centauri A (Rigil Kentaurus), B (Toliman), and C (Proxima Centauri), making it a multi-star system unlike our own. This system includes two confirmed planets and three suspected planets ...

The Hubble Space Telescope captured a stunning view of the bright Alpha Centauri A (on the left) and Alpha Centauri B (on the right). ESA/NASA Our nearest stellar neighbor, Alpha Centauri ...

Lasers could be used to propel tiny spacecraft toward Alpha Centauri, scientists suggest. | Credit: Artist's impression by Michel Lamontagne, courtesy of Space Initiatives Inc. Our space ...

But could humans or spacecraft ever reach Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to our planet? Alpha Centauri is about 4.4 light-years (roughly 25 trillion miles, or 40 trillion kilometers ...