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Loading contentThe nearest stars to the Sun, plotted at their true three-dimensional positions from measured parallax distances. This is the view a two-dimensional star chart cannot give: not just where a star lies on the sky, but how far away it truly is. Drag to fly around the neighbourhood; the Sun sits at the centre.
Distance-true — real measured 3D positions
Measured right ascension and declination with a measured parallax distance (light-years) for each star, converted to real Cartesian positions. Stars without a measured distance are excluded — never placed.
Only stars with a measured parallax distance are shown; a small number of catalogued stars have no reliable distance and are omitted rather than placed at a guessed position. Star colour is rendered from the measured B−V colour index; where it is unknown a neutral tone is used.
The same measured data as the visual scene, as a table — readable without JavaScript and by a screen reader.
Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.