μ Centauri (mu Centauri)

Below the horizon. Never rises today

Alt: -37.58° Az: 246.13° Direction: West-South-West

μ Centauri is a variable and double sub-giant star of spectral class B2 in the constellation of Centaurus.

μ Centauri visual magnitude is 3.04. Because of its moderate brightness, μ Centauri 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 μ Centauri. The red arrow shows the motion of μ Centauri during the next 10000 years (-3.83 arcmin in Right Ascension and -3.33 arcmin in declination);

Celestial Coordinates

Apparent

Right Ascension 13h 51m 09s

Declination -42° 35’ 56”

Hour Angle 06h 40m 21s

Sidereal Time 20h 31m 31s

J2000

Right Ascension 13h 49m 36s

Declination -42° 28’ 26”

Galactic Coordinates

Galactic Longitude 314.24°

Galactic Latitude 19.12°

Finder Chart

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Finder chart for μ Centauri (mu Centauri).

Magnitude, Color, Spectral Class

Color ⬤

Magnitude 3.04

Class Sub-giant

Absolute magnitude -3.00

Spectral Type B2IV

Color Index (B-V) -0.17

Temperature 12902K

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

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

Star System Properties

μ Centauri 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 μ Centauri double sysyem:

Main star magnitude 3.04

Secondary star magnitude 13.74

Magnitude difference 10.7

Separation 48 arcsec

Distance, Radial Speed, Proper Motion

μ Centauri is distant 526.66 light years from the Sun and it is moving far from the Sun at the speed of 9 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 161.55

Distance (light year) 526.66

Radial Speed 9 km/s

Proper Motion RA -0.023 arcsec/y

Proper Motion Dec -0.02"/y

Alternative Designations

Bayer designation μ Centauri
(mu Centauri)

Henry Draper Catalogue HD120324

SAO Catalogue SAO224471

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP67472

Durchmusterung Catalogue CD-41 8172

FK5 Catalogue 508

General Catalogue of Variable Stars Mu Cen

Visibility from Your Location

μ Centauri (mu Centauri) is currently not visible from Greenwich, UK

In Evidence

Other stars in Centaurus

μ Centauri (mu Centauri)

Celestial Coordinates

Apparent

J2000

Galactic Coordinates

Finder Chart

Magnitude, Color, Spectral Class

Star System Properties

Distance, Radial Speed, Proper Motion

Alternative Designations

Visibility from Your Location

Set Location

In Evidence

Other stars in Centaurus

μ Centauri (mu Centauri)

Celestial Coordinates

Apparent

J2000

Galactic Coordinates

Finder Chart

Magnitude, Color, Spectral Class

Star System Properties

Distance, Radial Speed, Proper Motion

Alternative Designations

Visibility from Your Location