( 14." L x 14” W x 27" H)
The Alpha Centauri star system, whose primary star is formally named Rigil Kentaurus (Alpha Centauri A), is part of the closest stellar system to Earth beyond our own Sun. This StarSentient® sculpture is named after this dominant star of the group, lying approximately 4.37 light-years away in the southern hemisphere constellation of Centaurus. Rigil Kentaurus itself is a yellow-white, main-sequence star— very similar to our Sun, but slightly larger and more luminous, with about 1.1 times it’s total mass and roughly 1.5 times its luminosity. Together with a companion star, Toliman (Alpha Centauri B), an orange K-type star, it forms a binary pair orbiting one another every 79 years. A dim red dwarf, Proxima Centauri (Alpha Centauri C), circles the pair at a vast distance, making the system a gravitationally bound triple-star family. Proxima Centauri is especially important because it is the nearest star to Earth at about 4.24 light-years away and possesses confirmed exoplanets, including the Earth-sized Proxima B located within its habitable zone. Several candidate planets have also been proposed around Rigil Kentaurus, though none have been confirmed yet. The entire system is estimated to be about 5 billion years old, slightly older than our Sun. Rigil Kentaurus is among the brightest stars in the night sky and, along with Beta Centauri, a much more distant, line-of-sight “neighbor” in the same constellation, serves as a “Southern Pointer” that is used to locate the Southern Cross.
The name “Rigil Kentaurus” derives from the Arabic Rijl al-Qantūris, meaning “Foot of the Centaur,” reflecting the star’s position in the mythological figure name of the constellation.
Local: (up to 50 miles from San Francisco): Hand delivery is provided at no charge.
UPS Insured Ground: The shipping cost is calculated based on the delivery address and the dimensions of the sculpture.
FedEx Insured Ground: The shipping cost is similarly determined by the delivery address and the sculpture’s size.
Once a shipping option is selected, the system automatically calculates and displays the final shipping cost for your convenience.
( 14." L x 14” W x 27" H)
The Alpha Centauri star system, whose primary star is formally named Rigil Kentaurus (Alpha Centauri A), is part of the closest stellar system to Earth beyond our own Sun. This StarSentient® sculpture is named after this dominant star of the group, lying approximately 4.37 light-years away in the southern hemisphere constellation of Centaurus. Rigil Kentaurus itself is a yellow-white, main-sequence star— very similar to our Sun, but slightly larger and more luminous, with about 1.1 times it’s total mass and roughly 1.5 times its luminosity. Together with a companion star, Toliman (Alpha Centauri B), an orange K-type star, it forms a binary pair orbiting one another every 79 years. A dim red dwarf, Proxima Centauri (Alpha Centauri C), circles the pair at a vast distance, making the system a gravitationally bound triple-star family. Proxima Centauri is especially important because it is the nearest star to Earth at about 4.24 light-years away and possesses confirmed exoplanets, including the Earth-sized Proxima B located within its habitable zone. Several candidate planets have also been proposed around Rigil Kentaurus, though none have been confirmed yet. The entire system is estimated to be about 5 billion years old, slightly older than our Sun. Rigil Kentaurus is among the brightest stars in the night sky and, along with Beta Centauri, a much more distant, line-of-sight “neighbor” in the same constellation, serves as a “Southern Pointer” that is used to locate the Southern Cross.
The name “Rigil Kentaurus” derives from the Arabic Rijl al-Qantūris, meaning “Foot of the Centaur,” reflecting the star’s position in the mythological figure name of the constellation.
Local: (up to 50 miles from San Francisco): Hand delivery is provided at no charge.
UPS Insured Ground: The shipping cost is calculated based on the delivery address and the dimensions of the sculpture.
FedEx Insured Ground: The shipping cost is similarly determined by the delivery address and the sculpture’s size.
Once a shipping option is selected, the system automatically calculates and displays the final shipping cost for your convenience.
