Peacock
Also known as α Pav · HR 7790
Peacock is a spectroscopic binary star in the constellation Pavo, about 180 light-years from Earth.
Facts
| Type | Spectroscopic binary star (spectral type B2IV) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Pavo |
| Position (J2000) | 20h 25m 38s, −56° 44′ |
| Distance | 180 light-years (its light set off about 180 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 1.92 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Studied in | 286 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Peacock is highest in the sky at midnight in July. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 13° above the horizon; from 50° N it never rises. 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 Pavo
Everything in Pavo · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · Data sources & credits