π Puppis (pi Puppis)

π Puppis is a variable and double supergiant star in the constellation of Puppis.

π Puppis visual magnitude is 2.7. Thanks to its high brightness, π Puppis 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 π Puppis:

Color of π Puppis ⬤

Magnitude of π Puppis 2.7

Class Supergiant

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW π Puppis (pi Puppis) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change].

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of π Puppis

π Puppis 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 π Puppis are provided in the following table:

Right Ascension J2000 07h 17m 08s

Declination J2000 -37° 05’ 50”

Galactic Longitude 249.01°

Galactic Latitude -11.28°

Constellation Puppis

The simplified sky map below shows the position of π Puppis in the sky:

Simplified finder chart for π Puppis (pi Puppis).

Visibility of π Puppis from your location

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

Today's π Puppis (pi Puppis) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change] are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):

Azimuth: 127.1° RISE 17:52

Max altitude: 1.4° TRANSIT 19:05

Azimuth: 232.9° SET 20:17

RIGHT NOW π Puppis (pi Puppis) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom

Digitized Sky Survey image of π Puppis

The image below is a photograph of π Puppis 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 π Puppis is -0.009 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and 0.004 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 100000 years is represented with the red arrow.

DSS2 image of π Puppis. The red arrow shows the motion of π Puppis during the next 100000 years (-15.00 arcmin in Right Ascension and 6.67 arcmin in declination);

Distance of π Puppis from the Sun and relative movement

π Puppis is distant 1,093.96 light years from the Sun and it is moving far from the Sun at the speed of 16 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 335.57 pc

Distance (light year) 1,093.96 ly

Heliocentric radial velocity 16 km/s

Proper Motion RA -0.009 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec 0.004 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of π Puppis

π Puppis belongs to spectral class K3 and has a luminosity class of I corresponding to a supergiant star.

Absolute magnitude -4.93

Spectral Type K3I

Color Index (B-V) 1.62

Temperature of π Puppis 3622K

The red dot in the diagram below shows where π Puppis is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.

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

π Puppis star system properties

π Puppis 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 π Puppis double sysyem:

Main star magnitude 2.7

Secondary star magnitude 8

Magnitude difference 5.3

Separation 69.2 arcsec

Alternative designations of π Puppis

Bayer designation π Puppis
(pi Puppis)

Henry Draper Catalogue HD56855

SAO Catalogue SAO197795

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP35264

Durchmusterung Catalogue CD-36 3489

FK5 Catalogue 278

General Catalogue of Variable Stars 3515

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In Evidence

Other stars in Puppis