Science Return from Alpha Centauri and Proxima B

I will talk about the science that can be accomplished by observing the Alpha Centauri system with a variety of space telescope missions or a fly-by mission, including measurements of the planet properties such as size, temperature, rotation period, taking the spectrum of its atmosphere, imaging features like continents, and assessing its habitability. I will also talk about potential measurements of relativistic effects that would occur with a flyby that is a significant fraction of the speed of light.