View Te Ara in

Story: Night sky

Alpha Centauri

Alpha Centauri

Alpha Centauri is the star system closest to the sun. Although it is made up of three stars, it appears as a single source of bright light when viewed through a telescope.

About this item

Anglo-Australian Observatory/David Malin Images
Photograph by David Malin

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

How to cite this page:

John Field and Maggy Wassilieff. 'Night sky', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 24-Sep-11
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/night-sky/3/4