Altair vs Vega
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| Property | Altair | Vega |
|---|---|---|
| Designation | 53Alp Aql | 3Alp Lyr |
| Constellation | Aquila | Lyra |
| Spectral Class | Class A — A-type (White) | Class A — A-type (White) |
| Apparent Magnitude | +0.76 | +0.03 |
| Absolute Magnitude | 2.21 | 0.60 |
| Distance | 16.7 ly | 25.0 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 A-type stars forming part of the Summer Triangle asterism along with Deneb.
- ◆ Vega is at 25 light-years; Altair is even closer at 16.7 light-years.
- ◆ Altair rotates extremely rapidly (once every 10.4 hours), making it noticeably oblate; Vega also rotates fast but less extremely.
- ◆ Vega is about four times more luminous than Altair.
- ◆ Vega has a prominent debris disk suggesting possible planetary formation; Altair's disk is less prominent.