How Long Would It Take to Travel to Alpha Centauri A?
Alpha Centauri A is the primary star in the Alpha Centauri system, our closest neighboring star system at 4.37 light-years. It's a yellow dwarf star remarkably similar to our own Sun. Calculate how long it would take to travel there at relativistic speeds.
Distance4.37 light-years
Star TypeYellow dwarf (G2V)
ConstellationCentaurus
Apparent Magnitude-0.01
Time Dilation Formula Calculator
Journey Summary
Traveler's Time:
N/A years
Time experienced on the spacecraft
Observer's Time:
N/A years
Time passed on Earth
Maximum Velocity:
N/A c
Peak speed (as fraction of light speed)
Energy Required:
N/A J
Total energy needed for the journey
Speed vs Time
This chart shows how quickly you accelerate to a fraction of the speed of light over time.
Distance vs Time
Shows distance covered (in light-years) over time.
Traveler's vs Observer's Time
Shows how time experienced by the traveler differs from time on Earth.
Energy Requirement vs Distance
Shows the (simplified) energy requirements for maintaining relativistic travel as distance increases.
Doppler Shift vs Time
Shows how the Doppler effect changes observed wavelengths over time.
Velocity vs Distance
Shows how your speed changes as you travel further from your starting point.
Lorentz Factor vs Time
Shows how the Lorentz factor (γ) grows over time as relativistic effects increase.
Proper vs Observer Distance
Shows how distance measurements differ between the traveler's frame and the observer's frame.
Facts About Alpha Centauri A
At light speed, the journey would take 4.37 years from Earth's perspective
At 10% the speed of light, the journey would take about 44 years from Earth's perspective
Alpha Centauri A is 1.1 times the mass of our Sun and 1.5 times as luminous
Notable For: Brightest component of the closest star system, similar to our Sun
Frequently Asked Questions
How long to travel to Alpha Centauri at the speed of light?
Traveling at the speed of light, it would take 4.37 years to reach Alpha Centauri A. Due to time dilation, a traveler at 99% light speed would experience only about 7.4 months of travel time.
Is Alpha Centauri A similar to our Sun?
Yes, Alpha Centauri A is a G-type yellow dwarf star very similar to our Sun. It's about 10% more massive and 50% more luminous, making it an excellent candidate for hosting Earth-like planets.
This time dilation calculator lets you enter a distance in light-years and acceleration in m/s² to see how time dilation affects your journey. It shows differences between traveler and observer times, maximum velocity, energy requirements, Doppler shift, Lorentz factor, and how distances vary between reference frames. Charts appear after you calculate.
Results
Traveler's Time: How much time the person on the spaceship experiences
Observer's Time: How much time passes on Earth during the journey
Maximum Velocity: The highest speed reached, as a fraction of light speed
Interactive Charts
Speed vs Time: How quickly you accelerate towards light speed
Distance vs Time: How far you've traveled over time
Traveler's vs Observer's Time: Compare time passage between Earth and spaceship
Energy Requirement vs Distance: How much energy is needed as you travel further
Doppler Shift vs Time: How light wavelengths change during your journey
Velocity vs Distance: Your speed at different distances
Lorentz Factor vs Time: How much time dilation increases with speed
Proper vs Observer Distance: How distance measurements differ between frames
What is Time Dilation?
Time dilation is an effect from Einstein's theory of special relativity. The faster you move, the slower time passes for you compared to someone standing still. At 90% of light speed, time passes about 2.3 times slower for the traveler than for someone on Earth.
What is the Time Dilation Formula?
The Time Dilation Formula is:
t' = t / √(1 - v²/c²)
Where:
t' = time measured by the observer (on Earth)
t = time experienced by the traveler
v = velocity of the traveler
c = speed of light (299,792,458 meters per second)