Star · K1V
Gl 531
Gl 531 is a main-sequence star of spectral type K1V in the constellation Centaurus, 53.6 light-years from the Sun.
| Other names | HIP 67742 |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Centaurus |
| Distance | 53.6 light-years (16.4 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 7.37 |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude 6.29 |
| Spectral type | K1V |
| Surface temperature | 5,020 K |
| Luminosity | 0.355 L☉ |
| Radius | 0.788 R☉ |
| Mass | 0.772 M☉ (estimated) |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 13h 52m 35.9s |
| Declination (J2000) | −50° 55′ 18″ |
| Space velocity (relative to the Sun) | 51.6 km/s |
In the sky
Too faint for the naked eye (magnitude 7.37); binoculars will find it. Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 39° N. South of latitude 39° S it never sets. It stands highest at midnight in April, the best time to observe it.
Through a telescope from Earth
Light's journey
The light you see tonight set out around the year 1972. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 951 thousand years.
The Sun seen from there
From a planet around Gl 531, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 5.91, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Perseus. It would be visible to the naked eye.
Neighbours
Its nearest neighbours in the catalogue (within 20 light-years):
- GJ 3811 2.94 light-years
- CWISE J141127.70-481153.4 4.64 light-years
- GJ 3787 5.32 light-years
- CWISE J131548.23-493645.4 5.68 light-years
- Gl 552.1 6.20 light-years
- GJ 3770 7.01 light-years
- HD 113538 7.03 light-years
- DENIS-P J1253108-570924 10.1 light-years
Position, brightness and colour from the HYG / AT-HYG catalogue; temperature, luminosity, radius and mass are approximate values computed from these observations.