Your Eyes In Space Open the simulation

Star · K0III

ν Aur

ν Aur is a giant star of spectral type K0III in the constellation Auriga, 202.1 light-years from the Sun.

Other namesHIP 27673
ConstellationAuriga
Distance202.1 light-years (62.0 pc)
Apparent magnitudemagnitude 3.97
Absolute magnitudemagnitude 0.01
Spectral typeK0III
Surface temperature4,450 K
Luminosity161 L☉
Radius21.4 R☉
Mass3.88 M☉ (estimated)
Right ascension (J2000)5h 51m 29.4s
Declination (J2000)+39° 08′ 55″
Space velocity (relative to the Sun)10.2 km/s

In the sky

Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 3.97). Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 51° S. North of latitude 51° N it never sets. It stands highest at midnight in December, the best time to observe it.

Through a telescope from Earth

Light's journey

The light you see tonight set out around the year 1824. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 3.6 million years.

The Sun seen from there

From a planet around ν Aur, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 8.79, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Scorpius. It would be invisible to the naked eye.

Neighbours

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

  • HIP 27192 6.39 light-years
  • HIP 27067 6.67 light-years
  • τ Aur 7.87 light-years
  • HIP 27706 9.92 light-years
  • HIP 29582 15.5 light-years
  • HIP 27844 16.1 light-years
  • 38 Aur 19.8 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.