Canopus

Also known as Alpha Carinae, α Car, α Carinae, SRS 30245, SAO 234480, Agastya, PLX 1497, PPM 335149

Canopus is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Carina and the second-brightest star in the night sky. It is designated α Carinae, which is romanized (transliterated) to Alpha Carinae. With a visual apparent magnitude of −0.74, it is outshone only by Sirius.

AI overview

Canopus is the second-brightest star visible in the night sky, located in the southern constellation Carina, and is so luminous that only the star Sirius shines brighter. It matters to astronomers and stargazers because its exceptional brightness makes it one of the most prominent celestial landmarks for navigation and observation, especially in the Southern Hemisphere.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Astronomical data · SIMBAD

Object type: *
Spectral type: A9II
Distance: 309 light-years
Redshift: z = 0.00006771580404030253
Coordinates: RA 95.9880° · Dec -52.6957°

View on SIMBAD →

via SIMBAD · CDS Strasbourg

Wikidata facts

Distance from Earth: 310
Image: Canopus.jpg

Show 16 more facts

catalog code: UBV M 12094
Commons category: Canopus
spectral class: F0
stellar rotational velocity: 9
apparent magnitude: -1.35
right ascension: 95.987957829
declination: -52.695661384
effective temperature: 6904
parallax: 10.55
radial velocity: 23.3
metallicity: -0.06
surface gravity: 31.6
absolute magnitude: -5.71
luminosity: 13300
right ascension component of proper motion: 18
declination component of proper motion: 17

Sources (7)

via Wikidata · CC0

~30 min read

Article

20 sections

Contents

Nomenclature
Observation
Role in navigation
Spectrum
Distance
Physical characteristics
Evolution
Cultural significance
India
Iran (Persia)
China
Polynesia
Africa
Americas
Australia
Legacy
In popular culture
See also
References
Bibliography

Located around from the Sun, Canopus is a bright giant of spectral type A9, so it is essentially white when seen with the naked eye. It has a luminosity over 10,000 times the luminosity of the Sun, is nine to ten times as massive, and has expanded to 71 times the Sun's radius. Its enlarged photosphere has an effective temperature of around . Canopus is undergoing core helium burning and is currently in the so-called blue loop phase of its evolution, having already passed through the red-giant branch after exhausting the hydrogen in its core. Canopus is a source of X-rays, which are likely being emitted from its corona.