Rigel Kentaurus

Minimum viewing equipment: telescope.

Rigel Kentaurus (Alpha Centauri) is the brightest star in Centaurus and the third brightest in the sky. It's a double star for any telescope. The two stars are of 0.0 and 1.2 magnitudes. Alpha Centauri is the nearest star to the Sun, just 4.3 light years distance.

Note: This is an extended exposure picture taken with specialised equipment and is likely different from what can be seen through an ordinary telescope.