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Technically speaking, the sun is the closest star to Earth. <br /> . <br /> The next closest known star to the Earth is <b><i>Proxima Centauri</i></b>, red dwarf star<br />approximately 4.2 light years from Earth ... only about 278,000 times as far<br />from us as the Sun is. See the related link below for further information about<br />Proxima Centauri. <br /> .
The closest star to our solar system is currently Proxima Centauri. Proxima is a small, red M dwarf only about half as hot as the Sun and 14% as wide. Itâs member C of the Alpha Centauri system, a triple-star system that lies just over 4 light-years away. And now, astronomers say, theyâre sure Proxima Centauri has a planet.