Procyon
Also known as α CMi · HR 2943
Procyon is a spectroscopic binary star in the constellation Canis Minor, about 11.5 light-years from Earth.
Facts
| Type | Spectroscopic binary star (spectral type F5IV-V+DQZ) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Canis Minor |
| Position (J2000) | 7h 39m 18s, +5° 13′ |
| Distance | 11.5 light-years (its light set off about 11.5 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 0.37 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Studied in | 1,945 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Procyon is highest in the sky at midnight in January. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 75° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 45°. 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 Canis Minor
Everything in Canis Minor · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · Data sources & credits