Proxima Centauri

American  

[prok-suh-muh] / ˈprɒk sə mə /

noun

1. the nearest star to the sun at a distance of 4.3 light-years, part of the Alpha Centauri triple-star system located in the constellation Centaurus.

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Proxima Centauri Scientific  

/ prŏk′sə-məsĕn-tôr′ē /

1. See under Alpha Centauri

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Etymology

Origin of Proxima Centauri

< New Latin: nearest (star) of Centaurus

Example Sentences

Imagine, he says, wanting to send a single paperclip to our neighboring star, Proxima Centauri.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

The closest red dwarf to us is Proxima Centauri.

From Space Scoop • Nov. 28, 2025

The study found that for a pair of these nearby worlds, Proxima Centauri b and GJ 887 b, these telescopes are highly adept at detecting the presence of potential biosignatures.

From Science Daily • Jan. 29, 2024

But because the spacecraft are moving away from the sun, and Proxima Centauri is moving toward it, the Voyagers’ closest approach to our neighboring star will occur in 16,700 and 20,300 years.

From Scientific American • Nov. 12, 2022

Do we have any hope of leaving Earth and traversing the immense distances even to Proxima Centauri in convenient periods of time?

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan