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Star · K5III

51 Aur

51 Aur is a giant star of spectral type K5III in the constellation Auriga, 467.9 light-years from the Sun.

Other namesHIP 31771
ConstellationAuriga
Distance467.9 light-years (143.5 pc)
Apparent magnitudemagnitude 5.70
Absolute magnitudemagnitude −0.08
Spectral typeK5III
Surface temperature4,010 K
Luminosity263 L☉
Radius33.7 R☉
Mass4.46 M☉ (estimated)
Right ascension (J2000)6h 38m 39.5s
Declination (J2000)+39° 23′ 27″
Space velocity (relative to the Sun)82.0 km/s

In the sky

Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 5.70). Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 51° S. North of latitude 51° N it never sets. It stands highest at midnight in December, the best time to observe it.

Through a telescope from Earth

Light's journey

The light you see tonight set out around the year 1558. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 8.3 million years.

The Sun seen from there

From a planet around 51 Aur, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 10.61, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Corona Australis. It would be invisible to the naked eye.

Open in the simulation

Position, brightness and colour from the HYG / AT-HYG catalogue; temperature, luminosity, radius and mass are approximate values computed from these observations.