Capella

Also known as Alpha Aurigae, 13 Aurigae, HD 34029, HIP 24608, HIC 24608, HR 1708, Alhajoth, α Aur

Capella is the brightest star in the northern constellation of Auriga. It has the Bayer designation α Aurigae, which is Latinised to Alpha Aurigae and abbreviated Alpha Aur or α Aur. Capella is the sixth-brightest star in the night sky, and the third-brightest in the northern celestial hemisphere after Arcturus and Vega. A prominent object in the northern sky, it is circumpolar to observers north of 44°N. Its name meaning "little goat" in Latin, Capella depicted the goat Amalthea that suckled Zeus in classical mythology. Capella is relatively close, at . It is one of the brightest X-ray source

AI overview

Capella is the sixth-brightest star visible in Earth's night sky and the third-brightest star for those in the northern hemisphere, located in the constellation Auriga. It is notable for being relatively close to Earth and one of the brightest X-ray sources, and it holds cultural significance as the star traditionally associated with the goat from classical mythology.

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Wikidata facts

Distance from Earth: 13.0
Image: Auriga constellation map.svg

Show 14 more facts

spectral class: G0
catalog code: AG+45 512
Commons category: Capella
apparent magnitude: -1.78
right ascension: 79.172327944
declination: 45.997991470
parallax: 77.29
radial velocity: 31.3
metallicity: -0.37
surface gravity: 1000
absolute magnitude: 0.296
right ascension component of proper motion: 76
declination component of proper motion: -425
effective temperature: 5272

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Article

16 sections

Contents

Nomenclature
Observational history
Multiple status
X-ray source
Observation
Distance
Stellar system
Capella A
Capella HL
Visual companions
Etymology and culture
Namesakes
See also
Notes
References
Sources

Although it appears to be a single star to the naked eye, Capella is actually a quadruple star system organized in two binary pairs stars: the primary pair Capella Aa and Capella Ab; and the secondary pair Capella H and Capella L. The primaries are two bright-yellow giant stars, both of which are around 2.5 Solar masses. The secondary pair, are around 10,000 astronomical units (AU) from the first. They are faint, small and relatively cool red dwarfs.