The star closest to Earth is Proxima Centauri, which is approximately 4.24 light-years away. Proxima Centauri is part of the Alpha Centauri star system, which consists of three stars: Alpha Centauri A, Alpha Centauri B, and Proxima Centauri. Despite its proximity, Proxima Centauri is not visible to the naked eye due to its low brightness compared to other stars. It is a red dwarf star, smaller and cooler than our sun. Proxima Centauri has garnered interest from scientists, particularly because of its discovery of exoplanets, including Proxima Centauri b, which lies within the star's habitable zone.