Star report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Star report - Essay Example Though it is not as visible from the earth, the Proxima Centauri is the main sequence star. The star is thus the main sequence red dwarf star, and like the sun has a low luminous value compared to the degenerate (white) dwarf stars that run on star remnants. The energy generated by the star (magnetic, X-Rays, and surface flares), is promoted by the thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen not accumulating helium ash at the core. This lengthens the lifespan of the star, which is estimated to be when the star burns through all of its fuel. The Proxima Centauri is the star nearest to the sun. As such, its nomenclature is founded in the distance to the sun. The term Proxima is derived from Latin and translates either as ‘next to’ or ‘nearest to’. It applies to both the sun and the earth, as it is the closest star to the earth after the sun, making the name proper name. Discovered in 1915 by Robert Innes (Scotsman), it is located in the G-cloud in the Centaurus constellation, with an estimated orbital period of more than half a million years (Benedict et al 1086). The myth to the constellation is that it was believed to be a bison-man by the Babylonians, similar to the Greek and Roman concept of the centaur, half horse-man. The star has a visual magnitude of 11.05 and is only visible with the use of visual aids, but its absolute visual magnitude is 15.5. Its invisibility to the naked eye follows the limitation of the eye’s visual magnitude, placed at 6. There are proposals that suggest that the star makes up the triple star system with the A and B Alpha Centauri. Such is part of the binary Alpha Centauri with about 0.237 Â ±0.011 ly (about 15.000 Â ± 700 AU (Astronomical Unit) (Benedict et al 1088). Considering its proximity, the angular diameter (1.02 Â ± 0.08 milliarcsec.), and length from the sun, its diameter has been determined as a seventh that of the sun. With this