Canopus
Sign in to saveCanopus 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.
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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.
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Article
20 sectionsContents
- 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
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.
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.