How Far Away Is the Nearest Star?

How Far Away Is the Nearest Star?

Exploring Space

June 10, 2026

How Far Away Is the Nearest Star?

The nearest star beyond our Sun is called Proxima Centauri, and it is about 4.24 light-years away. That sounds close, but even the fastest spacecraft ever built would take tens of thousands of years to get there. Find out why star distances are so hard to imagine!

How far is far?

Exploring Space

June 8, 2026

How Far Is Far? Space Is Bigger Than You Think

Light circles Earth seven times a second — yet still takes years to reach the nearest star. Here's how far 'far' really is in space.

what are planets made of

Types of Worlds

June 8, 2026

What Are Planets Made Of?

Measure a planet's size and weight, and you can guess what it's made of — rock, water, or gas. Here's the simple trick scientists use.

Meet TRAPPIST-1

June 8, 2026

Meet TRAPPIST-1: A Family of Worlds

One small red star hides seven Earth-sized planets, packed closer than Mercury orbits our Sun. Meet TRAPPIST-1 and other famous planet families.

Planet that's like Earth

Habitable Worlds

June 8, 2026

Which Planets Are the Most Like Earth?

Scientists score how Earth-like a planet is — but the highest scorers might still be furnaces. Here's what 'most Earth-like' really means.

How do we find planets

Finding Planets

June 8, 2026

How Do We Find Planets We Can’t Even See?

We almost never see exoplanets directly. Here are the two clever tricks scientists use to find hidden planets — the tiny dip and the wobble.

Spotting TIC 18942729 b: The Transit Method
In 2026, astronomers discovered TIC 18942729 b, a planet 376 light-years away that completes one full orbit around its star in just one Earth day! Find out how scientists spotted it without ever leaving home — using tiny dips in starlight.
Could Kepler-1661 b Be Friendly to Life?
Astronomers found a world called Kepler-1661 b that might sit in the zone where liquid water could exist — but it's also much bigger than Earth and very cold. Could it still be friendly to life? The answer might surprise you.
TOI-929 b: A New World Around TOI-929
Meet TOI-929 b, a scorching hot world 373 light-years away that completes an entire year in less than six Earth days! Scientists are still piecing together what this strange planet is made of, and its story is full of surprises.
Teegarden’s Star c: A World 12.5 Light-Years From Earth
Teegarden's Star c is a planet almost exactly the same size as Earth, but it orbits just 12.5 light-years away around a tiny, dim red dwarf star. Could this chilly, mysterious world be hiding secrets? Let's find out what scientists have discovered so far!
TIC 390586021 b: Getting to Know a Mini-Neptune
TIC 390586021 b is a mini-Neptune — a type of planet bigger than Earth but smaller than Neptune — and it zips around its star in less than three days! Scientists are piecing together clues about what this faraway world is made of, and the answers are surprisingly tricky.