Triple system, in which Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B orbit a common center, spending almost 80 years to complete an orbit. Alpha Centauri C, known as Proxima Centauri, spend more than a million years to complete an orbit around the principals components, and is the nearest star of the Sun, 4.2 light years; whereas the system Alpha Centauri AB is a little more distant, 4.4 light years.
Alpha Centauri A is a yellow star, around 23% bigger than the Sun. Alpha Centauri B is an orange star with a ray 14 % less than the Sun,
and it has a planet discovered in 2012, with mass around of the Earth, however out of the Habitable Zone (very near of his star). Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf with very reduced brilliance and diameter of 1.5 times bigger than the diameter of Jupiter.
The separation of A and B is well visible with a 305mm and a 6 mm eyepiece.
link to animated gif:
http://astronomia-e-astrofotos.10697..._193335.00.gif
from:
http://jsmastronomy.30143.n7.nabble....auro-td51.html
