The Nearest Stars to Earth (Infographic)

msn.com:

stars, Proxima Centauri, is just about 4. 24 light-years away. (for reference, one light-year is approximately equivalent to 5.

88 trillion miles (9. 46 trillion kilometers)). Suffice to say, "close" in space is far different from our Earthly definition. Related: Does every star have planets?Of all the stars closer than 15 light-years, only two are the same type as our sun: a G-type main-sequence star.

G-type stars like our sun, also called yellow dwarf stars, typically have about 0. 9 to 1. 1 solar masses with surface temperatures that can range from about 9,080 degrees Fahrenheit (5,026 degrees Celsius) to 10,340 degrees F (5,726 degrees C).

The only two other G-type stars in our neighborhood are Alpha Centauri A and Tau Ceti. The majority of nearby stars are M-type stars, also known as red dwarfs, the most common stars in the universe. Gallery: The top space stories of the month! (Space) Scientists use a bird skull to understand how they survived the asteroid collision that killed the dinosaurs, a partial lunar eclipse dazzles spectators, and astronauts return to their duties following a space debris scare from a Russian anti-satellite missile test.