α Monocerotis (alpha Monocerotis)

α Monocerotis is a hypergiant star in the constellation of Monoceros.

α Monocerotis visual magnitude is 3.93. Because of its moderate brightness, α Monocerotis should be easily visible from locations with dark skyes, while it can be barely visible, or not visible at all, from skyes affected by light pollution.

The table below summarizes the key facts about α Monocerotis:

Color of α Monocerotis ⬤

Magnitude of α Monocerotis 3.93

Class Hypergiant

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW α Monocerotis (alpha Monocerotis) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt.

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of α Monocerotis

α Monocerotis 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 α Monocerotis are provided in the following table:

Right Ascension J2000 07h 41m 14s

Declination J2000 -09° 33’ 03”

Galactic Longitude 227.19°

Galactic Latitude 6.52°

Constellation Monoceros

The simplified sky map below shows the position of α Monocerotis in the sky:

Finder chart α Monocerotis (alpha Monocerotis) star

Simplified finder chart for α Monocerotis (alpha Monocerotis).

Visibility of α Monocerotis from your location

Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London

Today's α Monocerotis (alpha Monocerotis) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):

Azimuth: 99.6° RISE 10:56

Max altitude: 29.0° TRANSIT 16:05

Azimuth: 260.4° SET 21:15

RIGHT NOW α Monocerotis (alpha Monocerotis) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom

Digitized Sky Survey image of α Monocerotis

The image below is a photograph of α Monocerotis from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2 - see the credits section) taken in the red channel. The area of sky represented in the image is 0.5x0.5 degrees (30x30 arcmins). The proper motion of α Monocerotis is -0.073 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and -0.019 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.

Image of α Monocerotis (alpha Monocerotis) star

DSS2 image of α Monocerotis. The red arrow shows the motion of α Monocerotis during the next 10000 years (-12.17 arcmin in Right Ascension and -3.17 arcmin in declination);

Distance of α Monocerotis from the Sun and relative movement

α Monocerotis is distant 144.18 light years from the Sun and it is moving far from the Sun at the speed of 11 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 44.23 pc

Distance (light year) 144.18 ly

Heliocentric radial velocity 11 km/s

Proper Motion RA -0.073 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec -0.019 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of α Monocerotis

α Monocerotis belongs to spectral class K0 and has a luminosity class of III corresponding to a hypergiant star.

Absolute magnitude 0.70

Spectral Type K0III

Color Index (B-V) 1.02

Temperature of α Monocerotis 4695K

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

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

Alternative designations of α Monocerotis

Bayer designation α Monocerotis
(alpha Monocerotis)

Flamsteed designation 26 Monocerotis

Henry Draper Catalogue HD61935

SAO Catalogue SAO134986

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP37447

Durchmusterung Catalogue BD-09 2172

FK5 Catalogue 293

In Evidence

Other stars in Monoceros