Star · F5IV
Procyon
Procyon is a subgiant star of spectral type F5IV in the constellation Canis Minor, 11.5 light-years from the Sun.
| Other names | α CMi · Gl 280A · HIP 37279 |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Canis Minor |
| Distance | 11.5 light-years (3.51 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 0.40 |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude 2.67 |
| Spectral type | F5IV |
| Surface temperature | 6,710 K |
| Luminosity | 7.26 L☉ |
| Radius | 1.99 R☉ |
| Mass | 1.64 M☉ (estimated) |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 7h 39m 18.1s |
| Declination (J2000) | +5° 13′ 30″ |
| Space velocity (relative to the Sun) | 21.4 km/s |
In the sky
Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 0.40). Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 85° S. It stands highest at midnight in January, the best time to observe it.
Through a telescope from Earth
Light's journey
The light you see tonight set out around the year 2015. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 203 thousand years.
The Sun seen from there
From a planet around Procyon, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 2.56, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Aquila. It would be visible to the naked eye.
Neighbours
Its nearest neighbours in the catalogue (within 20 light-years):
- Gl 280B 0.05 light-years
- Luyten's Star 1.08 light-years
- UGPS J072227.51-054031.2 3.21 light-years
- Gl 234B 4.58 light-years
- Ross 614 4.58 light-years
- GJ 1111 4.95 light-years
- Gl 244B 5.23 light-years
- Sirius 5.26 light-years
Position, brightness and colour from the HYG / AT-HYG catalogue; temperature, luminosity, radius and mass are approximate values computed from these observations.