What is the name of the nearest star to Earth (after the Sun)?

The nearest star to Earth after the Sun is Proxima Centauri. Proxima Centauri is part of the Alpha Centauri star system and is located about 4.24 light-years from Earth. Even though it is our closest neighbor in space (except for our own Sun), it is too faint to be seen without a telescope. This star is important in astronomy because it gives us a nearby example of a star outside our solar system, and scientists often study Proxima Centauri for information about stars and possible planets orbiting other suns.​