Arcturus - α Boötis (alpha Boötis)
Arcturus, also designated as α Boötis (alpha Boötis), is a variable giant star of spectral class K1 in the constellation of Boötes.
Arcturus visual magnitude is -0.04, making it the third brightest star in the sky. Because of its brightness, Arcturus is clearly visible to the naked eye when observed from locations with dark skies, and should be also quite easily visible from light polluted areas.
Celestial Coordinates
Apparent
J2000
Galactic Coordinates
Finder Chart
Simplified finder chart for Arcturus - α Boötis (alpha Boötis).
Magnitude, Color, Spectral Class
The red dot in the diagram below shows where Arcturus is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.
Distance, Radial Speed, Proper Motion
Arcturus is distant 36.69 light years from the Sun and it is moving towards the Sun at the speed of 5 kilometers per second.
Alternative Designations
Visibility from Your Location
Today's Arcturus - α Boötis (alpha Boötis) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, UK are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):