η Centauri (eta Centauri)

Altitude: -61.3° Azimuth: 87.2° Direction: East

η Centauri is a variable main-sequence star in the constellation of Centaurus.

η Centauri visual magnitude is 2.31. Thanks to its high brightness, η Centauri is clearly visible when observed from locations with dark skyes, and should be also quite easily visible from light polluted areas.

The table below summarizes the key facts about η Centauri:

Color of η Centauri ⬤

Magnitude of η Centauri 2.31

Class Main-sequence

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW

η Centauri (eta Centauri) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt.

Altitude: -61.3°
Azimuth: 87.2°
Direction: East

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of η Centauri

η Centauri is situated south of the celestial equator, as such, it is more easily visible from the southern hemisphere. Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox as well as galactic coordinates of η Centauri are provided in the following table:

Right Ascension J2000 14h 35m 30s

Declination J2000 -42° 09’ 28”

Galactic Longitude 322.77°

Galactic Latitude 16.67°

Constellation Centaurus

The simplified sky map below shows the position of η Centauri in the sky:

Finder chart η Centauri (eta Centauri) star

Simplified finder chart for η Centauri (eta Centauri).

Visibility of η Centauri from your location

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

η Centauri (eta Centauri) is currently not visible from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt

Digitized Sky Survey image of η Centauri

The image below is a photograph of η Centauri 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 η Centauri is -0.035 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and -0.035 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.

DSS2 image of η Centauri. The red arrow shows the motion of η Centauri during the next 10000 years (-5.83 arcmin in Right Ascension and -5.83 arcmin in declination);

Distance of η Centauri from the Sun and relative movement

η Centauri is distant 308.42 light years from the Sun

Distance (parsec) 94.61 pc

Distance (light year) 308.42 ly

Proper Motion RA -0.035 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec -0.035 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of η Centauri

η Centauri belongs to spectral class B1 and has a luminosity class of V corresponding to a main-sequence star.

Absolute magnitude -2.57

Spectral Type B1V

Color Index (B-V) -0.19

Temperature of η Centauri 13348K

The red dot in the diagram below shows where η Centauri is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.

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

Alternative designations of η Centauri

Bayer designation η Centauri
(eta Centauri)

Henry Draper Catalogue HD127972

SAO Catalogue SAO225044

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP71352

Durchmusterung Catalogue CD-41 8917

FK5 Catalogue 537

General Catalogue of Variable Stars Eta Cen

In Evidence

Other stars in Centaurus