τ Canis Majoris (tau Canis Majoris)
τ Canis Majoris is a variable and multiple supergiant star in the constellation of Canis Major.
τ Canis Majoris visual magnitude is 4.4. Because of its moderate brightness, τ Canis Majoris 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 τ Canis Majoris:
Celestial coordinates and finder chart of τ Canis Majoris
τ Canis Majoris is situated close to the celestial equator, as such, it is at least partly visible from both hemispheres in certain times of the year. Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox as well as galactic coordinates of τ Canis Majoris are provided in the following table:
The simplified sky map below shows the position of τ Canis Majoris in the sky:
Visibility of τ Canis Majoris from your location
Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom [change]
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
Today's τ Canis Majoris (tau Canis Majoris) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change] are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
Digitized Sky Survey image of τ Canis Majoris
The image below is a photograph of τ Canis Majoris 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 τ Canis Majoris is -0.009 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and 0.01 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.
Distance of τ Canis Majoris from the Sun and relative movement
τ Canis Majoris is distant 3,196.08 light years from the Sun and it is moving far from the Sun at the speed of 40 kilometers per second.
Spectral properties of τ Canis Majoris
τ Canis Majoris belongs to spectral class O9 and has a luminosity class of I corresponding to a supergiant star.
The red dot in the diagram below shows where τ Canis Majoris is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.
