-1.46
Apparent Mag8.6
Distance (ly)A1V
Spectral Type9,940
Temperature (K)Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky, located in the constellation Canis Major. It is a binary star system consisting of a white main-sequence star (Sirius A) and a faint white dwarf companion (Sirius B). Known since antiquity, its heliacal rising marked the flooding of the Nile in ancient Egypt.
Stellar Data
Apparent Magnitude-1.46
Absolute Magnitude1.42
Distance8.6 light-years
Spectral TypeA1V
Temperature9,940 K
Luminosity25.4 L☉
Radius1.711 R☉
Mass2.063 M☉
Right Ascension06h 45m 08.9s
Declination-16° 42′ 58.0″
ConstellationCanis Major
Notable Facts
- Sirius is the brightest star visible from Earth with an apparent magnitude of -1.46
- Its companion Sirius B was one of the first white dwarfs discovered
- Ancient Egyptians based their calendar on the heliacal rising of Sirius