In 2028, the nearby star Alpha Centauri A will pass in front of a distant red giant with the designation 2MASS 14392160-6049528. This may produce a significant lensing event, which we endeavored to model.

Because the lensed object is not compact, light amplification is less extreme. Light from this star during the peak of this event is amplified "only" by a factor of a few hundred.

We model a "glancing" encounter, with Alpha Centauri A's closest approach at 0.2 mas (milliarcseconds). This is more realistic than assuming a "perfect" conjunction.

The first video shows the full duration of the event, which will be several months. The second video focuses on the main event, when Alpha Centauri A is nearing conjunction. The Einstein arcs rotate, as expected, reflecting the glancing nature of the encounter.

We also considered the possibility that a hypothetical planet of Alpha Centauri A appears during this event, in perfect conjunction with the lensed star. The signal from a planet with the mass of 10 Jupiters is shown, but even lighter planets are expected to be detectable. This appears in the third video.

Alpha Centauri A itself is not shown in these images. For reference, the image field of view amounts to roughly 330 mas (milliarcseconds). The wave-theoretical simulation used to produce these images assumes a telescope with a 10-meter aperture, operating at the wavelength of λ = 1 μm.

Any flickering or wobble that appears in these images is a numerical artifact, not a physical effect. The distance value shown is angular distance from the point of closest approach.