Arcturus

16Alp Boo

Arcturus is a K-type (Orange) star. It carries the designation 16Alp Boo.

Arcturus lies approximately 36.7 light-years from Earth, placing it within the Sun's local stellar neighborhood. This relatively short cosmic distance means the light reaching us today departed the star only about 36 years ago.

Arcturus is classified as a spectral class K star (K-type (Orange)) on the Harvard spectral classification system.

With an apparent magnitude of -0.05, Arcturus is one of the brightest stars in the entire night sky. It is easily visible to the naked eye from virtually any location on Earth where it rises above the horizon, and it can even be glimpsed in moderate light pollution. Observers will note its orange hue, which corresponds to a B-V color index of +1.239.

Propriétés physiques

Classe Spectrale Class K — K-type (Orange)
Indice de couleur (B−V) 1,239

Observation

Magnitude Apparente -0.05
Magnitude Absolue -0,31
Distance 36.7 ly

Position

Ascension droite 14h 15,66m
Déclinaison 19° 10,94′

Related Chemistry

Explore the chemical elements connected to Arcturus on our sister site ChemFYI.

Part of the Science FYI Family

Questions fréquentes

What type of star is Arcturus?
Arcturus is a Class K — K-type (Orange) star.
How far is Arcturus from Earth?
Arcturus is approximately 36.7 light-years from Earth.
Can you see Arcturus with the naked eye?
With an apparent magnitude of -0.05, Arcturus is visible to the naked eye.