Sirius
9Alp CMa
Sirius is a A-type (White) star located in the constellation Canis Major. It carries the designation 9Alp CMa.
At a distance of approximately 8.60 light-years, Sirius is one of the Sun's closest stellar neighbors. Light that we observe from Sirius today left the star roughly 8 years ago, making it a near neighbor in galactic terms.
Sirius is classified as a spectral class A star (A-type (White)) on the Harvard spectral classification system.
With an apparent magnitude of -1.44, Sirius 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 blue-white hue, which corresponds to a B-V color index of +0.009.
Physical Properties
| Spectral Class | Class A — A-type (White) |
| Color Index (B−V) | 0.009 |
Observation
| Apparent Magnitude | -1.44 |
| Absolute Magnitude | 1.45 |
| Distance | 8.6 ly |
| Constellation | Canis Major |
Position
| Right Ascension | 6h 45.15m |
| Declination | -16° 42.97′ |
Related Chemistry
Explore the chemical elements connected to Sirius on our sister site ChemFYI.
A-type stars show the strongest hydrogen Balmer absorption lines
Second most abundant element in Sirius's atmosphere
Detectable absorption lines in A-type stellar spectra
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