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Bright star · Orion

Betelgeuse

NameBetelgeuse
DesignationsAlpha Orionis · HIP 27989 · HD 39801
ConstellationOrion
Distance~550 (uncertain) ly
Magnitude+0.50
Spectral typeM1–M2Ia

Naked eye: magnitude +0.50, bright enough to see without a telescope under dark skies (limit ≈ +6).

From India (8°–34° N): rises above the horizon everywhere in the country.

Why it matters

When to look: Dec–Mar; a red supergiant that dimmed sharply in 2019–20.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: List of brightest stars
  2. HYG Database v4.1 (D. Nash, astronexus), CC BY-SA 4.0: stars within 20 ly, derived list
  3. HYG Database v4.1 (Nash), CC BY-SA 4.0
  4. IAU, The Constellations (88 official names and abbreviations)
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