THE LOCATIONS
Alpha Centauri
Distance from Earth: 4.3 light years
Current travel time: 30,000 years
Interstellar speed travel time: 43 years
This three-star system includes Proxima Centauri, which is the nearest star to Earth after the Sun. It’s confirmed there are at least two planets around this star.
Barnard’s Star
Distance from Earth: 5.96 light years
Current travel time: 42,500 years
Interstellar speed travel time: 60 years
One of the fastest moving stars in the galaxy, this is also the closest star to Earth, after the Sun, that is visible from the Northern Hemisphere.
Wolf 359
Distance from Earth: 7.8 light years
Current travel time: 55,500 years
Interstellar speed travel time: 78 years
This red dwarf is located in the constellation of Leo and can only be seen through a large telescope.
Sirius
Distance from Earth: 8.6 light years
Current travel time: 61,250 years
Interstellar speed travel time: 86 years
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky as it is one of the closest to us. It is part of a double star system.
Gliese 65
Distance from Earth: 8.7 light years
Current travel time: 62,350 years
Interstellar speed travel time: 87 years
This star, seen in the constellation of Cetus, is actually a binary system of two stars encircling each other every 26.5 years or so.
Ross 154
Distance from Earth: 9.7 light years
Current travel time: 69,100 years
Interstellar speed travel time: 97 years
This star, found in the constellation of Sagittarius, can only be seen with apertures of three inches or larger.
Ross 248
Distance from Earth: 10.3 light years
Current travel time: 73,750 years
Interstellar speed travel time: 103 years
This small star in the constellation of Andromeda emits just 0.2 per cent of the Sun’s light.
Epsilon Eridani
Distance from Earth: 10.5 light years
Current travel time: 75,000 years
Interstellar speed travel time: 105 years
This bright star, visible with the naked eye, has a confirmed planet orbiting around it and has been a popular interstellar travel target in science fiction.
Lacaille 9352
Distance from Earth: 10.7 light years
Current travel time: 76,700 years
Interstellar speed travel time: 107 years
Visible in the Southern Hemisphere with binoculars, this star is smaller and cooler than our Sun.
Ross 128
Distance from Earth: 11 light years
Current travel time: 78,000 years
Interstellar speed travel time: 110 years
Ross 128 is a red dwarf star whose orbit around the Milky Way will bring it closer to us in the future.