How many times larger is the angular size subtended by a dime held at arm's length compared to Proxima Centauri as seen from Earth?

Answer

About a million times larger

The apparent size of distant stars in the sky is measured in milliarcseconds, which are incredibly small fractions of a degree, highlighting the immense difficulty in resolving them. To illustrate this scale difference, if one were to hold a standard dime at arm's length, the width of that dime would subtend an angle that is approximately one million times greater than the apparent angular size of Proxima Centauri, the closest star system to our own, as viewed from our terrestrial vantage point. This extreme disparity explains why probes are needed for our Sun and interferometry for Betelgeuse, as angular resolution is severely limited by vast distances.

How many times larger is the angular size subtended by a dime held at arm's length compared to Proxima Centauri as seen from Earth?

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