Aldebaran vs Arcturus
| Property | Aldebaran | Arcturus |
|---|---|---|
| Designation | 87Alp Tau | 16Alp Boo |
| Constellation | Taurus | N/A |
| Spectral Class | Class K — K-type (Orange) | Class K — K-type (Orange) |
| Apparent Magnitude | +0.87 | -0.05 |
| Absolute Magnitude | -0.68 | -0.31 |
| Distance | 66.6 ly | 36.7 ly |
| Mass | N/A | N/A |
| Radius | N/A | N/A |
| Temperature | N/A | N/A |
| Luminosity | N/A | N/A |
Key Differences
- ◆ Both are orange K-type giants that have evolved off the main sequence.
- ◆ Arcturus is the brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere at magnitude −0.05.
- ◆ Aldebaran is larger at ~44 R☉ versus Arcturus at ~25 R☉.
- ◆ Arcturus is much closer at 36.7 light-years; Aldebaran is about 65 light-years away.
- ◆ Arcturus has an unusually high proper motion and may be a remnant of a disrupted dwarf galaxy.