Alpha Centauri System
The Alpha Centauri System is an inhabited star system in the United Federation of Planets. It is a trinary star system consisting of the stars Alpha Centauri A, B, and C, also referred to as Rigel Kantaurus, Toliman, and Proxima Centauri. Rigel Kantaurus and Toliman form a binary star system, while Proxima Centauri is approximately 0.2 light-years away. It is the closest star system to Sol, the home of the first interstellar human colony, and has formed a part of the Federation since its founding. It is one of the most developed and densely inhabited systems in the galaxy, particularly for a non-homeworld, with a population in the billions spread across dozens of planets and moons.
Overview
The Alpha Centauri system was settled by humans in the late 21st century, with the famous Zefram Cochrane one of its early inhabitants. The capital planet, also called Alpha Centauri, is technically Alpha Centauri AB III, the third planet orbiting the binary stars of Rigel Kantaurus and Toliman. It is the home of Alpha Centauri City, the first human settlement in another star system and one of the most vibrant, large, and cosmopolitan cities in the Federation. Within the city is Alpha Centauri University, one of the most prestigious centres of learning and research in the Federation, and its Starfleet Academy campus is one of the oldest and most respected satellite campuses. Life in Alpha Centauri epitomises Core World comfort and the Federation lifestyle, though the system’s natives think of themselves as humanity or the Federation’s earliest pioneers, the first people to make their life and identity away from their home star. Alpha Centauri carries its identity as the ‘first colony’ (a technically inaccurate term that discounts the colonies of other founding Federation members, but humanity’s enthusiasm often wins out in such things) with pride.
The many worlds and moons of all three of Alpha Centauri’s stars are well developed, having been settled for over two hundred years. Planets have been terraformed for habitation, or boast habitation facilities. Others have been harnessed by industry for their natural gases and minerals. A modern Spacedock II-class starbase codenamed Centauri Station sits in orbit of the planet Alpha Centauri itself, home to an established Starfleet task group and the hub of orbital, system-wide, and interstellar affairs of the system.
In Play
- Alpha Centauri is the oldest Earth colony and one of the founding systems of the Federation. It is a bustling, densely habited part of the Core Worlds and should be considered comparable to depictions of Earth and the Sol system in terms of established settlement, cities, infrastructure, and industry. It is as far from a harsh, small colony as one can get.
- Alpha Centauri C/Proxima Centauri is part of the same star system but is a long way away - it would take over 9 months for a starship to travel from A/B to C at impulse. It is still considered part of the system, and equally well developed and densely inhabited.
External Information
- Alpha Centauri (system) at Memory Alpha
- Alpha Centauri (planet) at Memory Alpha