μ Centauri (mu Centauri)

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

μ Centauri visual magnitude is 3.04. Because of its moderate brightness, μ Centauri 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 μ Centauri:

Color of μ Centauri ⬤

Magnitude of μ Centauri 3.04

Class Sub-giant

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW μ Centauri (mu Centauri) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change].

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of μ Centauri

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

Right Ascension J2000 13h 49m 36s

Declination J2000 -42° 28’ 26”

Galactic Longitude 314.24°

Galactic Latitude 19.12°

Constellation Centaurus

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

Finder chart μ Centauri (mu Centauri) star

Simplified finder chart for μ Centauri (mu Centauri).

Visibility of μ Centauri from your location

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

μ Centauri (mu Centauri) is currently not visible from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change]

Digitized Sky Survey image of μ Centauri

The image below is a photograph of μ 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 μ Centauri is -0.023 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and -0.02 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.

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);

Distance of μ Centauri from the Sun and relative movement

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 pc

Distance (light year) 526.66 ly

Heliocentric radial velocity 9 km/s

Proper Motion RA -0.023 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec -0.02 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of μ Centauri

μ Centauri belongs to spectral class B2 and has a luminosity class of IV corresponding to a sub-giant star.

Absolute magnitude -3.00

Spectral Type B2IV

Color Index (B-V) -0.17

Temperature of μ Centauri 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

μ Centauri 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

Alternative designations of μ Centauri

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

How to support us

In Evidence

Other stars in Centaurus