Star · F3III
χ Cet
χ Cet is a giant star of spectral type F3III in the constellation Cetus, 76.6 light-years from the Sun.
| Other names | GJ 9061A · HIP 8497 |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Cetus |
| Distance | 76.6 light-years (23.5 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 4.66 |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude 2.81 |
| Spectral type | F3III |
| Surface temperature | 7,260 K |
| Luminosity | 6.46 L☉ |
| Radius | 1.61 R☉ |
| Mass | 1.59 M☉ (estimated) |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 1h 49m 35.1s |
| Declination (J2000) | −10° 41′ 11″ |
| Space velocity (relative to the Sun) | 19.6 km/s |
In the sky
Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 4.66). Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 79° N. South of latitude 79° 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 1949. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 1.4 million years.
The Sun seen from there
From a planet around χ Cet, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 6.68, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Boötes. It would be invisible to the naked eye.
Neighbours
Its nearest neighbours in the catalogue (within 20 light-years):
- GJ 9061B 1.44 light-years
- HIP 7576 6.91 light-years
- GJ 3113 7.46 light-years
- WISEA J014535.23-031412.9 10.3 light-years
- WISEPC J013836.59-032221.2 10.5 light-years
- Gl 56.1 10.8 light-years
- HIP 6008 11.1 light-years
- DENIS J020529.0-115925 11.4 light-years
Position, brightness and colour from the HYG / AT-HYG catalogue; temperature, luminosity, radius and mass are approximate values computed from these observations.