Chandra Release - November 9, 2004

Visual Description: Proxima Centauri

An X-ray observation of a red dwarf star, Proxima Centauri, is displayed in the image. The image features a black background with a large orange, yellow and white source at the center, and two small orange dots above it, almost like an alien with two eyes floating above its face.  Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf star located in the constellation Centaurus, about 4.24 light-years away from Earth. It is one of the closest stars to our planet, making it an important target for astronomical study. Chandra as well as XMM-Newton observations (not pictured) of the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri have shown that its surface is in a state of turmoil. Flares, or explosive outbursts, occur almost continually. This behavior can be traced to Proxima Centauri's low mass, about a tenth that of the Sun. In the cores of low mass stars, nuclear fusion reactions that convert hydrogen to helium proceed very slowly, and create a turbulent, convective motion throughout their interiors. This motion stores up magnetic energy which is often released explosively in the star's upper atmosphere where it produces flares in X-rays and other forms of light.