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Star · B5V

β Cha

β Cha is a main-sequence star of spectral type B5V in the constellation Chamaeleon, 304.5 light-years from the Sun.

Other namesHIP 60000
ConstellationChamaeleon
Distance304.5 light-years (93.4 pc)
Apparent magnitudemagnitude 4.24
Absolute magnitudemagnitude −0.61
Spectral typeB5V
Surface temperature11,970 K
Luminosity285 L☉
Radius3.92 R☉
Mass4.57 M☉ (estimated)
Right ascension (J2000)12h 18m 20.8s
Declination (J2000)−79° 18′ 44″
Space velocity (relative to the Sun)29.6 km/s

In the sky

Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 4.24). Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 11° N. South of latitude 11° S it never sets.

Through a telescope from Earth

Light's journey

The light you see tonight set out around the year 1722. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 5.4 million years.

The Sun seen from there

From a planet around β Cha, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 9.68, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Cepheus. It would be invisible to the naked eye.

Neighbours

Its nearest neighbours in the catalogue (within 20 light-years):

  • HIP 64621 15.5 light-years
  • HIP 59243 17.8 light-years
  • HIP 64921 18.2 light-years
  • HIP 55156 18.7 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.