Discovery Channel


Asteroids range in size from pebbles to 934km across
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Observing Space

Introduction

Telescopes

Invisible Astronomy

Section 1.4

Section 1.5

Section 1.6

Section 1.7

Section 1.8

Section 1.9

Section 1.10

Section 1.11

Section 1.12

Section 1.13

Section 1.14

Section 1.15

Exploring Space

Introduction

Pioneers

Shuttles

Launchers

ISS

USA in Space

UK in Space

China in Space

France in Space

Russia in Space

The X-Prize

Section 2.12

Section 2.13

Section 2.14

Section 2.15

Planets

Introduction

Mercury

Venus

Earth

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

Pluto

Section 3.11

Section 3.12

Section 3.13

Section 3.14

Section 3.15

Moons

Section 4.1

Section 4.2

Section 4.3

Section 4.4

Section 4.5

Section 4.6

Section 4.7

Section 4.8

Section 4.9

Section 4.10

Section 4.11

Section 4.12

Section 4.13

Section 4.14

Section 4.15

Stars

Introduction

The Sun

Sirius

Canopus

Alpha Centauri

Arcturus

Others

Section 5.8

Section 5.9

Section 5.10

Section 5.11

Section 5.12

Section 5.13

Section 5.14

Section 5.15

Comets, Meteors & Asteroids

Deep Impact Mission

Section 6.2

Section 6.3

Section 6.4

Section 6.5

Section 6.6

Section 6.7

Section 6.8

Section 6.9

Section 6.10

Section 6.11

Section 6.12

Section 6.13

Section 6.14

Section 6.15

Galaxies

Section 7.1

Section 7.2

Section 7.3

Section 7.4

Section 7.5

Section 7.6

Section 7.7

Section 7.8

Section 7.9

Section 7.10

Section 7.11

Section 7.12

Section 7.13

Section 7.14

Section 7.15

The Universe

Section 8.1

Section 8.2

Section 8.3

Section 8.4

Section 8.5

Section 8.6

Section 8.7

Section 8.8

Section 8.9

Section 8.10

Section 8.11

Section 8.12

Section 8.13

Section 8.14

Section 8.15

Eclipses

Solar Eclipse

Lunar Eclipse

Lunar Eclipse 2008

What Eclipses Have Taught Us

Significant Eclipses in History

The Blood Red Moon

Section 9.7

Section 9.8

Section 9.9

Section 9.10

Section 9.11

Section 9.12

Section 9.13

Section 9.14

Section 9.15

Amazing Facts

Section 10.1

Section 10.2

Section 10.3

Section 10.4

Section 10.5

Section 10.6

Section 10.7

Section 10.8

Section 10.9

Section 10.10

Section 10.11

Section 10.12

Section 10.13

Section 10.14

Section 10.15

Play: Comet Impact

Section 11.1

Section 11.2

Section 11.3

Section 11.4

Section 11.5

Section 11.6

Section 11.7

Section 11.8

Section 11.9

Section 11.10

Section 11.11

Section 11.12

Section 11.13

Section 11.14

Section 11.15

Space Blog

Section 12.1

Section 12.2

Section 12.3

Section 12.4

Section 12.5

Section 12.6

Section 12.7

Section 12.8

Section 12.9

Section 12.10

Section 12.11

Section 12.12

Section 12.13

Section 12.14

Section 12.15

Section 13

Section 13.1

Section 13.2

Section 13.3

Section 13.4

Section 13.5

Section 13.6

Section 13.7

Section 13.8

Section 13.9

Section 13.10

Section 13.11

Section 13.12

Section 13.13

Section 13.14

Section 13.15

Section 14

Section 14.1

Section 14.2

Section 14.3

Section 14.4

Section 14.5

Section 14.6

Section 14.7

Section 14.8

Section 14.9

Section 14.10

Section 14.11

Section 14.12

Section 14.13

Section 14.14

Section 14.15

Section 15

Section 15.1

Section 15.2

Section 15.3

Section 15.4

Section 15.5

Section 15.6

Section 15.7

Section 15.8

Section 15.9

Section 15.10

Section 15.11

Section 15.12

Section 15.13

Section 15.14

Section 15.15

Stars

Alpha Centauri

At just 4.4 light years away, Alpha Centauri is the closest star system to our solar system.

It is made up of three stars: the nearest to us, Proxima Centauri, is the dimmest of the three. Alpha Centauri A and B are binary stars, about the same distance apart as 23 times the distance between the Earth and Sun.

Alpha Centauri A, also known as Rigil Kentaurus, is the brightest star in the constellation of Centaurus and is the fourth brightest star in the night sky.

Alpha Centauri can only be seen from the southern hemisphere of Earth.

Photos: Science Photo Library

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