Star · M5
Mira
Mira is a giant star of spectral type M5 in the constellation Cetus, 299.0 light-years from the Sun.
| Other names | ο Cet · HIP 10826 |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Cetus |
| Distance | 299.0 light-years (91.7 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 6.47 |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude 1.66 |
| Spectral type | M5 |
| Surface temperature | 4,830 K |
| Luminosity | 27.8 L☉ |
| Radius | 7.54 R☉ |
| Mass | 2.35 M☉ (estimated) |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 2h 19m 20.8s |
| Declination (J2000) | −2° 58′ 40″ |
| Space velocity (relative to the Sun) | 121.1 km/s |
In the sky
Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 6.47). Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 87° N. 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 1727. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 5.3 million years.
The Sun seen from there
From a planet around Mira, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 9.64, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Virgo. It would be invisible to the naked eye.
Neighbours
Its nearest neighbours in the catalogue (within 20 light-years):
- HIP 10746 6.01 light-years
- HIP 11435 13.1 light-years
- HIP 11045 15.0 light-years
- HIP 11689 17.0 light-years
- 2MASS J02292794-0053282 17.8 light-years
Position, brightness and colour from the HYG / AT-HYG catalogue; temperature, luminosity, radius and mass are approximate values computed from these observations.