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What is the Average Distance Between Stars in our Galaxy?

-- Donald | February 27, 2021

Question:

Everyone knows that Alpha Centauri is about 4 light years from Earth. But for the average star out there, what is the distance to the nearest neighboring star? Is it one light year? Four light years? Ten light years? How lucky are we with 4 light years?

-- Donald

Answer:

I think what you are asking for is the average distance between any two stars in our galaxy. That number turns out to be about 5 light years, which is very close to the 4 light year distance between our Sun and Alpha Centauri.

-- Jeff Mangum

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