Alnitak - ζ Orionis (zeta Orionis)
Alnitak, also designated as ζ Orionis (zeta Orionis), is a variable and multiple supergiant star in the constellation of Orion.
Alnitak visual magnitude is 2.05, making it the 53th brightest star in the sky. Thanks to its high brightness, Alnitak is clearly visible when observed from locations with dark skies, and should be also quite easily visible from light polluted areas.
The proper motion of Alnitak is 0.003 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and -0.002 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 100000 years is represented with the red arrow.
Key facts about Alnitak
Alnitak - ζ Orionis (zeta Orionis) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom .
Altitude: -31.8°
Azimuth: 44.3°
Direction: North-East
Celestial coordinates and finder chart of Alnitak
Alnitak is situated close to the celestial equator, as such, it is at least partly visible from both hemispheres in certain times of the year. Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox as well as galactic coordinates of Alnitak are provided in the following table:
The simplified sky map below shows the position of Alnitak in the sky:
Visibility of Alnitak from your location
Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
Today's Alnitak - ζ Orionis (zeta Orionis) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
Distance of Alnitak from the Sun and relative movement
Alnitak is distant 817.04 light years from the Sun and it is moving far from the Sun at the speed of 18 kilometers per second.
Spectral properties of Alnitak
Alnitak belongs to spectral class O9 and has a luminosity class of I corresponding to a supergiant star.
The red dot in the diagram below shows where Alnitak is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.
Alnitak star system properties
Alnitak is a visual double star which can be observed with the help of medium or large telescopes. The table below shows key information about the Alnitak double sysyem: