Which one of the following stars is nearest to the earth ?

examrobotsa's picture
Q: 68 (IAS/1997)
Which one of the following stars is nearest to the earth ?

question_subject: 

Geography

question_exam: 

IAS

stats: 

0,112,112,18,77,112,17

keywords: 

{'alpha centauri': [0, 1, 0, 0], 'sirius': [1, 1, 0, 1], 'stars': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'sun': [3, 0, 0, 6], 'polaris': [1, 1, 0, 0], 'earth': [0, 1, 1, 1]}

The correct answer is the Sun. Here`s why:

Option 1: Polaris, best known as the North Star, is not the nearest to Earth. It`s actually about 433.8 light-years away.

Option 2: Alpha Centauri is the closest star system to Earth after the Sun. It is approximately 4.367 light years away. Even though it is the closest star system, individual star wise it is still farther than the Sun.

Option 3: The Sun is the correct answer. Being the star at the center of our Solar System, it is the closest to Earth, only about 93 million miles away.

Option4: Sirius, also known as the Dog Star, is not the closest either. It is approximately 8.6 light years away from Earth, which is much farther than the Sun.

In conclusion, while all of the mentioned are significant stars, the Sun is undisputedly the nearest star to Earth.