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Star · K3III

6 Pup

6 Pup is a giant star of spectral type K3III in the constellation Puppis, 256.9 light-years from the Sun.

Other namesHIP 38211
ConstellationPuppis
Distance256.9 light-years (78.8 pc)
Apparent magnitudemagnitude 5.17
Absolute magnitudemagnitude 0.69
Spectral typeK3III
Surface temperature4,150 K
Luminosity111 L☉
Radius20.3 R☉
Mass3.49 M☉ (estimated)
Right ascension (J2000)7h 49m 41.2s
Declination (J2000)−17° 13′ 42″
Space velocity (relative to the Sun)68.3 km/s

In the sky

Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 5.17). Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 73° N. South of latitude 73° S it never sets. It stands highest at midnight in January, the best time to observe it.

Through a telescope from Earth

Light's journey

The light you see tonight set out around the year 1769. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 4.6 million years.

The Sun seen from there

From a planet around 6 Pup, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 9.31, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Sagitta. It would be invisible to the naked eye.

Neighbours

The catalogue has no other star within 20 light-years.

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.