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Star · B7III

α Scl

α Scl is a giant star of spectral type B7III in the constellation Sculptor, 705.6 light-years from the Sun.

Other namesHIP 4577
ConstellationSculptor
Distance705.6 light-years (216.3 pc)
Apparent magnitudemagnitude 4.30
Absolute magnitudemagnitude −2.38
Spectral typeB7III
Surface temperature12,570 K
Luminosity1,600 L☉
Radius8.43 R☉
Mass7.47 M☉ (estimated)
Right ascension (J2000)0h 58m 36.4s
Declination (J2000)−29° 21′ 27″
Space velocity (relative to the Sun)23.3 km/s

In the sky

Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 4.30). Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 61° N. South of latitude 61° S it never sets. It stands highest at midnight in October, the best time to observe it.

Through a telescope from Earth

Light's journey

The light you see tonight set out around the year 1320. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 13 million years.

The Sun seen from there

From a planet around α Scl, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 11.51, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Coma Berenices. 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.