The closest star to Earth is Proxima Centauri, which is part of the Alpha Centauri star system. Located approximately 4.24 light-years away, Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf star and it is not visible to the naked eye due to its low brightness.
This star is of great interest to scientists because it has at least one known planet, Proxima Centauri b, which is located within the star’s habitable zone where conditions might be right for liquid water to exist. The study of Proxima Centauri and its planets could help us understand the potential for life beyond our solar system.