Antares
Also known as α Sco · HR 6134
Antares is a red supergiant star in the constellation Scorpius, about 550 light-years from Earth.
Facts
| Type | Red supergiant star (spectral type M1.5Iab+B2Vn) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Scorpius |
| Position (J2000) | 16h 29m 24s, −26° 25′ |
| Distance | 550 light-years (its light set off about 550 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 0.91 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Studied in | 793 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Antares is highest in the sky at midnight in May. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 44° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 14°. To see it you need the naked eye, even from a town.
Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.
For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.
More in Scorpius
- Butterfly Cluster (M6)
- Butterfly Nebula
- Cat's Paw Nebula
- M4 (NGC 6121)
- M80 (NGC 6093)
- Prawn Nebula
- Ptolemy Cluster (M7)
- War and Peace Nebula
Everything in Scorpius · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · Data sources & credits