Barnard's Star is the fourth closest star to the Sun and the closest visible from the northern hemisphere. It is located just 5.97 light-years away. Only Proxima Centauri, at 4.24 light-years, and the A and B components of Alpha Centauri, at 4.36 light-years, are closer. Barnard's Star is a low-mass red dwarf star. It is located in the constellation of Ophiuchus, northwest of 66 Ophiuchi, the brightest star in the frame at lower left. Barnard's Star was discovered by E. E. Barnard in 1916 by comparing photographic plates taken that year and others taken in 1894. At an estimated age of 7 to 12 billion years, Barnard's Star may be one of the oldest stars in our Milky Way Galaxy. | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / Lodriguss, Gerard |
Bildgröße: | 5184 px × 3456 px |
Modell-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Eigentums-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Restrictions: | - |