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A Journey to the End of Time

The Solar System in 3D, in real time

A simulation of the Solar System driven by real ephemerides. The Sun, the planets, Pluto and the major moons, space probes, the International Space Station, nearby stars and the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way are where they really are at the chosen moment. You can run time from 1700 to 2100, fly from one object to another and look at the sky from anywhere on Earth.

Alpha Centauri B

Star

Facts

Distance
4.34 light-years
Spectral class
K1 V
Diameter
0.86 times the Sun
Mass
0.91 times the Sun
Apparent magnitude
1.33
IAU name
Toliman

Alpha Centauri B is the companion of Alpha Centauri A: an orange dwarf of spectral class K1 V, a little smaller and cooler than the Sun. It has 91% of the Sun's mass and shines about half as brightly, and together with Alpha Centauri A it circles their common centre in about 80 years.

The orbit is very elongated, with an eccentricity of 0.52: the distance between the two stars changes a great deal over the 80 years.

Sources