Star · A2V
τ Cen
τ Cen is a main-sequence star of spectral type A2V in the constellation Centaurus, 134.2 light-years from the Sun.
| Other names | HIP 61622 |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Centaurus |
| Distance | 134.2 light-years (41.2 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 3.85 |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude 0.78 |
| Spectral type | A2V |
| Surface temperature | 9,550 K |
| Luminosity | 53.8 L☉ |
| Radius | 2.68 R☉ |
| Mass | 2.84 M☉ (estimated) |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 12h 37m 42.2s |
| Declination (J2000) | −48° 32′ 29″ |
| Space velocity (relative to the Sun) | 36.7 km/s |
In the sky
Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 3.85). Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 41° N. South of latitude 41° 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 1892. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 2.4 million years.
The Sun seen from there
From a planet around τ Cen, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 7.90, 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):
- γ Cen 4.45 light-years
- HIP 60662 5.24 light-years
- HIP 61406 5.99 light-years
- HIP 59926 9.01 light-years
- HIP 61097 14.0 light-years
- HIP 59433 14.9 light-years
- HIP 59315 15.2 light-years
- HIP 62749 16.0 light-years
Position, brightness and colour from the HYG / AT-HYG catalogue; temperature, luminosity, radius and mass are approximate values computed from these observations.