The closest star to Earth is Proxima Centauri, which is about 4.24 light years away from our planet. It is a red dwarf and part of the triple star system called Alpha Centauri, which is also one of the brightest stars in the sky. Proxima Centauri is too dim to be seen with the naked eye and was discovered in 1915 by Scottish astronomer Robert Innes. In recent years, scientists have been studying Proxima Centauri for signs of exoplanets that could support life, and in 2016, a potentially habitable planet orbiting the star was discovered.