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Star · F1III

μ Cet

μ Cet is a giant star of spectral type F1III in the constellation Cetus, 86.8 light-years from the Sun.

Other namesGJ 9099 · HIP 12828
ConstellationCetus
Distance86.8 light-years (26.6 pc)
Apparent magnitudemagnitude 4.27
Absolute magnitudemagnitude 2.15
Spectral typeF1III
Surface temperature7,390 K
Luminosity12 L☉
Radius2.11 R☉
Mass1.86 M☉ (estimated)
Right ascension (J2000)2h 44m 56.5s
Declination (J2000)+10° 06′ 51″
Space velocity (relative to the Sun)46.2 km/s

In the sky

Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 4.27). Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 80° S. North of latitude 80° N 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 1939. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 1.5 million years.

The Sun seen from there

From a planet around μ Cet, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 6.95, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Libra. It would be invisible to the naked eye.

Neighbours

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

  • GJ 3160 6.99 light-years
  • HIP 13342 8.12 light-years
  • Gl 100.1 9.16 light-years
  • GJ 3184 9.23 light-years
  • HIP 13601 10.2 light-years
  • HIP 13976 11.2 light-years
  • HIP 10500 11.9 light-years
  • Gl 106.1C 11.9 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.