Astronomy Picture of the Day · October 19, 1996

Lalande 21185: The Nearest Planetary System?

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for October 19, 1996 is “Lalande 21185: The Nearest Planetary System?,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Credit and Copyright: John Whatmough, Extrasolar Visions). The original explanation runs about 222 words.

From the explanation

“What’s the closest extrasolar planetary system ? It may well be planets of the dim red dwarf star cataloged as Lalande 21185 — a mere 8 light years distant.”

— APOD editors, October 19, 1996

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: October 19, 1996
Type: Image
Credit: Credit and Copyright: John Whatmough, Extrasolar Visions
Copyright: Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 222 words

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On this day: October 19 in other years

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Source

Astronomy Picture of the Day, October 19, 1996 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-1996-october-19-lalande-21185-the-nearest-planetary-system

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.