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What would Earth look like with a different sun?

It's hard to imagine what life would look like if we were rotating around some star other than the sun. So the Russian Federal Space Agency imagined for us. And it looks awesome.

The video above puts different stars at the center of our solar system, envisioning Earth in a very different light. Five different lights, actually. Here are the key figures in the Roscosmos role play:

Alpha Centauri: The nearest visible star to the sun -- and one of the brightest in the southern night sky -- - Alpha Aentauri A is a near twin of our sun, only slightly larger and hotter. And it has a twin of its own, the slightly cooler and smaller Alpha Centauri B. Scientists think Alpha Centauri might have its own solar system, which means (theoretically) there could be intelligent life out there actually looking at this double-vision view right now.

Sirius: The brightest star in the sky, and the nearest to earth, it has a mass about double that of the sun.

Arcturus: The fourth brightest star in the sky, this orange giant (that's a technical term) is in its later stages of life.

Vega: It's about the same size as the sun, but somewhat hotter and brighter.

Polaris: We know it as the North Star, the handle tip of the Little Dipper. But looking at the simulation, we're clearly not giving this very massive bright yellow star its due.

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