Editing Alpha Centauri (section)

===== Alpha Centauri A =====
'''Alpha Centauri A''', also known as '''Rigil Kentaurus''', is the principal member, or primary, of the binary system. It is a solar-like [[main sequence|main-sequence]] star with a similar yellowish colour,<ref name="csiro">{{cite web |title=The colour of stars |date=21 December 2004 |website=Australia Telescope, Outreach and Education |publisher=Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation |url=http://outreach.atnf.csiro.au/education/senior/astrophysics/photometry_colour.html|access-date=16 January 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222183238/http://outreach.atnf.csiro.au/education/senior/astrophysics/photometry_colour.html |archive-date=22 February 2012}}</ref> whose [[stellar classification]] is [[spectral type]] G2-V;<ref name=torres2006/> it is about 10% more massive than the Sun,<ref name="Thevenin02"/> with a radius about 22% larger.<ref name=kervella2017>{{cite journal |title=The radii and limb darkenings of α Centauri A and B. Interferometric measurements with VLTI/PIONIER |journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics |first1=P. |last1=Kervella |first2=L. |last2=Bigot |first3=A. |last3=Gallenne |first4=F. |last4=Thévenin |volume=597 |page=A137 |date=January 2017 |doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201629505 |bibcode=2017A&A...597A.137K
|arxiv=1610.06185 |s2cid=55597767}}</ref> When considered among the individual [[List of brightest stars|brightest stars]] in the night sky, it is the fourth-brightest at an apparent magnitude of +0.01,<ref name="ducati"/> being slightly fainter than [[Arcturus]] at an [[apparent magnitude]] of −0.05.

The type of [[magnetic activity]] on Alpha Centauri A is comparable to that of the Sun, showing [[stellar corona|coronal]] variability due to [[star spot]]s, as modulated by the rotation of the star. However, since 2005 the activity level has fallen into a deep minimum that might be similar to the Sun's historical [[Maunder Minimum]]. Alternatively, it may have a very long stellar activity cycle and is slowly recovering from a minimum phase.<ref name="Ayres2014">{{cite journal|title=The Ups and Downs of α Centauri|last1=Ayres|first1=Thomas R.|journal=The Astronomical Journal|arxiv=1401.0847|volume=147|issue=3|id=59
|page=12|date=March 2014|doi=10.1088/0004-6256/147/3/59|bibcode=2014AJ....147...59A|s2cid=117715969}}</ref>