The Kite
The Kite is a large northern asterism that dominates the constellation Boötes. Also known as the Ice Cream Cone, it is formed by the constellation’s… Read More »The Kite
Alpha Centauri
False Cross
The False Cross is an asterism formed by four bright stars in the constellations Vela and Carina. Located in the far southern sky, the diamond-shaped… Read More »False Cross
Pistol Star
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.
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Spring Triangle
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 spring asterism known as the Great Diamond, or Diamond of Virgo.
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Coalsack Nebula
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 600 light years from Earth and is about 30 to 35 light years across.
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Centaurus A
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 galaxy. The galaxy’s exact distance from Earth is also uncertain, but estimates generally range from 10 to 16 million light years.
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Arcturus
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 the celestial equator.)
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Alpha Centauri
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 star is also known as Rigil Kent, Rigil Kentaurus, or Toliman.
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Proxima Centauri
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 the Sun, Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B, is 0.237 ± 0.011 light years.
Proxima Centauri is very likely the third component of the Alpha Centauri system, but the star’s orbital period may be more than 500,000 years.
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Vega
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.
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