Alpha Centauri B is a star that is about the same size as the Sun. Why does it appear much smaller and dimmer than the Sun when seen from Earth?

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Hadassah Underwood

Chemistry

10 April, 22:03

Alpha Centauri B is a star that is about the same size as the Sun. Why does it appear much smaller and dimmer than the Sun when seen from Earth?

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Braniac · Answer 1

To the eye - taken by itself - Alpha Centauri A appears as the fourth-brightest star seen from Earth, just slightly outshone by Arcturus. However, the combined light of Alpha Centauri A and B is slightly greater than Arcturus, so in that sense it appears as the third-brightest star visible in Earth's sky.