The Solar System exists within a small neighbourhood of nearby stars known as the local stellar neighbourhood. Within 20 light-years of Earth there are dozens of star systems, many of which are faint red dwarf stars that are invisible to the naked eye. Several of these nearby stars host exoplanets and are of great interest to astronomers studying planetary formation and the potential for habitable worlds beyond our Solar System.
The table below lists known star systems within approximately 20 light-years of Earth, including their distances, stellar types and sky positions.
| # | Name | Distance (light-years) | Type | Estimated Lifetime | Constellation | Coordinates | Planets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solar System | 0.0000158 | G2V | ~10 billion years | Solar System | N/A | Eight known planets |
| 2 | Proxima Centauri | 4.2465 | M5.5Ve | Trillions of years | Centaurus | 14h 29m 43s, −62° 40′ 46″ | Proxima b, Proxima c |
| 3 | Alpha Centauri A | 4.3441 | G2V | ~10 billion years | Centaurus | 14h 39m 36s, −60° 50′ 02″ | Possible candidates |
| 4 | Alpha Centauri B | 4.3441 | K1V | ~15–20 billion years | Centaurus | 14h 39m 36s, −60° 50′ 02″ | Possible candidates |
| 5 | Barnard's Star | 5.963 | M4Ve | Trillions of years | Ophiuchus | 17h 57m 48s, +04° 41′ 36″ | Barnard b candidate |
| 6 | Wolf 359 | 7.86 | M6Ve | Trillions of years | Leo | 10h 56m 29s, +07° 00′ 53″ | No confirmed planets |
| 7 | Lalande 21185 | 8.31 | M2V | Trillions of years | Ursa Major | 11h 03m 20s, +35° 58′ 12″ | Lalande 21185 b |
| 8 | Sirius A | 8.6 | A1V | ~1 billion years | Canis Major | 06h 45m 09s, −16° 42′ 58″ | Binary system with Sirius B |
| 9 | Sirius B | 8.6 | White dwarf | Stellar remnant | Canis Major | 06h 45m 09s, −16° 42′ 58″ | Companion of Sirius A |
| 10 | Luyten 726-8 | 8.73 | M5.5Ve | Trillions of years | Cetus | 01h 39m 01s, −17° 57′ 01″ | Binary red dwarf system |
Many of the closest stars to Earth are faint red dwarf stars that require telescopes to observe. With moderate aperture telescopes and dark skies it is possible to observe some of these nearby stellar systems, particularly bright stars such as Sirius and Alpha Centauri from southern latitudes.
Understanding our nearest stellar neighbours is important for astronomy, planetary science and the ongoing search for potentially habitable worlds beyond our Solar System.