The Pistol Star, also known as V4647 Sagittarii, is a blue hypergiant star located about 25,000 light years from Earth in the constellation Sagittarius. It is a candidate luminous blue variable (cLBV) and one of the most luminous stars known, with a luminosity 1,600,000 times that of the Sun.
The Spring Triangle is a prominent spring asterism formed by the bright stars Arcturus in Boötes constellation, Spica in Virgo, and Regulus in Leo. The asterism can be seen in the southeastern sky from March to May by observers in the northern hemisphere. It shares two stars – Arcturus and Spica – with the larger … [Read more…]
The Coalsack Nebula is one of the best known dark nebulae in the sky, along with the nearby Dark Doodad Nebula and the Horsehead Nebula. The Coalsack is located in the southern constellation Crux and overlaps into the neighbouring constellations Musca and Centaurus. The dark cloud of cold gas and dust lies at a distance of … [Read more…]
Centaurus A is a peculiar galaxy located in the southern constellation Centaurus. It is the fifth brightest galaxy in the night sky, the nearest giant galaxy to the Milky Way, and one of the nearest radio galaxies to Earth. Its exact type is uncertain, but it is usually classified either as a giant elliptical or lenticular … [Read more…]
Arcturus, Alpha Boötis, is the brightest star in Boötes constellation and the fourth brightest star in the sky. With an apparent magnitude of -0.04, Arcturus is the brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere. (The three brightest stars – Sirius in Canis Major, Canopus in Carina, and Alpha Centauri in Centaurus – lie south of … [Read more…]
Alpha Centauri is the nearest star system to the Sun, located at a distance of only 4.37 light years or 1.34 parsecs from Earth. It is the brightest star in Centaurus constellation and the third brightest star in sky. Alpha Centauri is only slightly brighter than Arcturus in Boötes constellation and Vega in Lyra. The … [Read more…]
Proxima Centauri, also known as Alpha Centauri C, is the closest star to Earth. It is located in the constellation Centaurus. The star lies at a distance of only 4.243 light years from Earth. The name Proxima means “next to” or “nearest to” in Latin. Proxima’s distance to the second and third closest stars to … [Read more…]
Vega, Alpha Lyrae, is the brightest star in Lyra constellation and the fifth brightest star in the sky. Vega is only fainter than Sirius in Canis Major, Canopus in Carina, Alpha Centauri in Centaurus, and Arcturus in Boötes constellation. It is the second brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, with only Arcturus appearing brighter.
The Southern Cross is one of the best known asterisms in the night sky, and the most familiar star pattern in the southern hemisphere. Composed of five stars forming the shape of a cross, it is the most distinctive feature of the constellation Crux, the smallest constellation in the sky. The Southern Cross is notable … [Read more…]