Star · B5V
π Cen
π Cen is a main-sequence star of spectral type B5V in the constellation Centaurus, 233.6 light-years from the Sun.
| Other names | HIP 55425 |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Centaurus |
| Distance | 233.6 light-years (71.6 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 3.90 |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude −0.38 |
| Spectral type | B5V |
| Surface temperature | 12,630 K |
| Luminosity | 256 L☉ |
| Radius | 3.34 R☉ |
| Mass | 4.43 M☉ (estimated) |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 11h 21m 00.4s |
| Declination (J2000) | −54° 29′ 28″ |
| Space velocity (relative to the Sun) | 16.4 km/s |
In the sky
Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 3.90). Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 36° N. South of latitude 36° S it never sets. It stands highest at midnight in March, the best time to observe it.
Through a telescope from Earth
Light's journey
The light you see tonight set out around the year 1792. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 4.1 million years.
The Sun seen from there
From a planet around π Cen, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 9.11, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Cassiopeia. It would be invisible to the naked eye.
Neighbours
Its nearest neighbours in the catalogue (within 20 light-years):
- HIP 54424 11.9 light-years
- HIP 54834 14.7 light-years
- HIP 56707 17.1 light-years
- HIP 56966 18.7 light-years
- HIP 53657 19.3 light-years
- HIP 56868 19.8 light-years
Position, brightness and colour from the HYG / AT-HYG catalogue; temperature, luminosity, radius and mass are approximate values computed from these observations.