2.  It was discovered in 1915 by Robert Innes, who was director of Union Observatory in Johannesburg, South Africa.

3. The name Proxima comes from a Latin word meaning “nearest” or “next to” because it’s the third closest to the sun.

4.  Proxima Centarui is part of the triple star system and smaller than its partners Alpha Centarui A and Alpha Centarui B. its approx. one seventh the size of our sun.

6.  If we were nearer like on Venus’ orbit the heat would have evaporated all our oceans, but if we were father the temperature would be too cold to support life.

7.  Proxima Centarui’s flares are believed to be caused by a magnetic activity.

8.  Even though Proxima Centarui is nearest to the sun it is still 4.2 light years away!

9.  Proxima Centarui is smaller than our sun with a mass approx. 0.123 solar masses and a radius of only about 0.145 solar radii.

10.  Proxima Centauri’s apparent magnitude is 11.05 and the absolute magnitude 15.5 Sun Video