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Alula Australis - ξ Ursae Majoris (xi Ursae Majoris)

Alula Australis, also designated as ξ Ursae Majoris (xi Ursae Majoris), is a variable and multiple hypergiant star in the constellation of Ursa Major.

Alula Australis visual magnitude is 4.41. Because of its moderate brightness, Alula Australis 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 Alula Australis:

Color of Alula Australis ⬤

Magnitude of Alula Australis 4.41

Class Hypergiant

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW Alula Australis - ξ Ursae Majoris (xi Ursae Majoris) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change].

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of Alula Australis

Alula Australis is situated north of the celestial equator, as such, it is more easily visible from the northern hemisphere. Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox as well as galactic coordinates of Alula Australis are provided in the following table:

Right Ascension J2000 11h 18m 11s

Declination J2000 +31° 31’ 45”

Galactic Longitude 195.08°

Galactic Latitude 69.25°

Constellation Ursa Major

The simplified sky map below shows the position of Alula Australis in the sky:

Finder chart Alula Australis - ξ Ursae Majoris (xi Ursae Majoris) star

Simplified finder chart for Alula Australis - ξ Ursae Majoris (xi Ursae Majoris).

Visibility of Alula Australis from your location

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

Today's Alula Australis - ξ Ursae Majoris (xi Ursae Majoris) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change] are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):

Azimuth: 58.5° RISE 14:15

Max altitude: 70.0° TRANSIT 23:34

Azimuth: 301.5° SET 8:56

RIGHT NOW Alula Australis - ξ Ursae Majoris (xi Ursae Majoris) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom

Digitized Sky Survey image of Alula Australis

The image below is a photograph of Alula Australis 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 Alula Australis is -0.43 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and -0.586 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 1000 years is represented with the red arrow.

Image of Alula Australis - ξ Ursae Majoris (xi Ursae Majoris) star

DSS2 image of Alula Australis. The red arrow shows the motion of Alula Australis during the next 1000 years (-7.17 arcmin in Right Ascension and -9.77 arcmin in declination);

Distance of Alula Australis from the Sun and relative movement

Alula Australis is distant 33.96 light years from the Sun and it is moving towards the Sun at the speed of 16 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 10.42 pc

Distance (light year) 33.96 ly

Heliocentric radial velocity -16 km/s

Proper Motion RA -0.43 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec -0.586 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of Alula Australis

Alula Australis belongs to spectral class G0 and has a luminosity class of V corresponding to a hypergiant star.

Absolute magnitude 4.32

Spectral Type G0V

Color Index (B-V) 0.59

Temperature of Alula Australis 6007K

The red dot in the diagram below shows where Alula Australis is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.

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

Alula Australis star system properties

Alula Australis is a visual double star which can be observed with the help of small or medium telescopes. The table below shows key information about the Alula Australis double sysyem:

Main star magnitude 4.41

Secondary star magnitude 4.91

Magnitude difference 0.5

Separation 3.1 arcsec

Alternative designations of Alula Australis

Proper Name Alula Australis

Bayer designation ξ Ursae Majoris
(xi Ursae Majoris)

Flamsteed designation 53 Ursae Majoris

Henry Draper Catalogue HD98231

SAO Catalogue SAO62484

Durchmusterung Catalogue BD+32 2132

Gliese Catalogue Gl 423 A

General Catalogue of Variable Stars 5165

Aitken Double Star Catalogue ADS8119

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Other stars in Ursa Major