α Doradus (alpha Doradus)

Below the horizon. Never rises today

Alt: -22.03° Az: 155.56° Direction: South-South-East

α Doradus is a variable and multiple hypergiant star of spectral class A0 in the constellation of Dorado.

α Doradus visual magnitude is 3.27. Because of its moderate brightness, α Doradus is easily visible to the naked eye from locations with dark skies, while it might be barely visible, or not visible at all, from light-polluted skies.

DSS2 image of α Doradus. The red arrow shows the motion of α Doradus during the next 10000 years (8.50 arcmin in Right Ascension and -0.50 arcmin in declination);

Celestial Coordinates

Apparent

Right Ascension 04h 34m 32s

Declination -54° 59’ 36”

Hour Angle 21h 12m 12s

Sidereal Time 01h 46m 45s

J2000

Right Ascension 04h 33m 59s

Declination -55° 02’ 42”

Galactic Coordinates

Galactic Longitude 263.83°

Galactic Latitude -41.42°

Finder Chart

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Finder chart for α Doradus (alpha Doradus).

Magnitude, Color, Spectral Class

Color ⬤

Magnitude 3.27

Class Hypergiant

Absolute magnitude -0.39

Spectral Type A0III

Color Index (B-V) -0.1

Temperature 11573K

The red dot in the diagram below shows where α Doradus is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.

H-R diagram showing the position of α Doradus. Attribution: Richard Powell / CC BY-SA

Star System Properties

α Doradus is a visual double star which can be observed only with the help of very large telescopes. The table below shows key information about the α Doradus double sysyem:

Main star magnitude 3.27

Secondary star magnitude 3.77

Magnitude difference 0.5

Separation 0.2 arcsec

Distance, Radial Speed, Proper Motion

α Doradus is distant 175.65 light years from the Sun and it is moving far from the Sun at the speed of 26 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 53.88

Distance (light year) 175.65

Radial Speed 26 km/s

Proper Motion RA 0.051 arcsec/y

Proper Motion Dec -0.003"/y

Alternative Designations

Bayer designation α Doradus
(alpha Doradus)

Henry Draper Catalogue HD29305

SAO Catalogue SAO233564

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP21281

Durchmusterung Catalogue CP-55 663

FK5 Catalogue 171

General Catalogue of Variable Stars Alp Dor

Visibility from Your Location

α Doradus (alpha Doradus) is currently not visible from Greenwich, UK

Set Location

Other stars in Dorado