Antares vs Betelgeuse
| Property |
Antares
|
Betelgeuse
|
| Designation |
21Alp Sco |
58Alp Ori |
| Constellation |
Scorpius |
Orion |
| Spectral Class |
Class M — M-type (Red) |
Class M — M-type (Red) |
| Apparent Magnitude |
+1.06 |
+0.45 |
| Absolute Magnitude |
-5.09
|
-5.47
|
| Distance |
554 ly |
498 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 famous red supergiants and iconic supernova candidates visible to the naked eye.
- ◆ Betelgeuse is significantly larger at ~887 R☉; Antares has a radius of ~680 R☉.
- ◆ Antares is in Scorpius and has long been compared to Mars due to its red colour; Betelgeuse marks Orion's shoulder.
- ◆ Antares is about 604 light-years away; Betelgeuse is approximately 700 light-years distant.
- ◆ Both show irregular variability and dramatic mass-loss through powerful stellar winds.