Nearest Neighbors

 No, not the folks across the street.  

Two of the three nearest star systems are currently visible (with optical aid) on opposite sides of the sky.  Barnard's Star, 6 ly distant, is the second closest star system.  It shines at magnitude 9.5 in the constellation Ophiuchus, which is rising in the east in the late evening.  Wolf 359, at a distance of 7.8 ly, is the third closest star system.  It shines at magnitude 13.5 in the constellation Leo, which is setting in the west in the late evening.

Both of these nearby stars are red dwarfs.  Neither are visible to the naked eye.  Barnard's Star can be picked up with binoculars or a small telescope.  It can be visible in photographs with wide-angle lenses.  Wolf 359 is 251 times fainter and requires a large telescope or a telephoto lens under dark skies to become visible. 

The location of Barnard's Star is circled.  Panasonic Leica 12mm f/1.4

 

Barnard's Star is circled.  1:1 crop, Leica 12mm

Barnard's Star is even visible in an image taken with a super-wide fisheye lens (7Artisans 7.5mm f/2.8):

1:1 crop, 7.5mm fisheye

This is an image obtained last year (14 June 2025) with an Olympus 75mm f/1.8 lens on an Olympus E-M1iii camera:

Barnard's Star.  Olympus 75mm f/1.8

 Wolf 359 is located in the constellation Leo:

Location of Wolf 359 is marked with a circle.  OM 20mm f/1.4

 Wolf 359 becomes visible in an image taken with a 135mm f/2 lens on a Sony A7iii camera:

Wolf 359 and a satellite trail

 Last year (15 June 2025) I was able to capture Wolf 359 with a Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 MF lens on an Olympus E-M1iii camera:

Wolf 359 (circled).  85mm f/1.4