Star · G8III
τ Cnc
τ Cnc is a giant star of spectral type G8III in the constellation Cancer, 271.0 light-years from the Sun.
| Other names | HIP 44818 |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Cancer |
| Distance | 271.0 light-years (83.1 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 5.42 |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude 0.82 |
| Spectral type | G8III |
| Surface temperature | 5,030 K |
| Luminosity | 54.5 L☉ |
| Radius | 9.72 R☉ |
| Mass | 2.85 M☉ (estimated) |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 9h 08m 00.1s |
| Declination (J2000) | +29° 39′ 15″ |
| Space velocity (relative to the Sun) | 18.9 km/s |
In the sky
Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 5.42). Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 60° S. North of latitude 60° N it never sets. It stands highest at midnight in February, the best time to observe it.
Through a telescope from Earth
Light's journey
The light you see tonight set out around the year 1755. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 4.8 million years.
The Sun seen from there
From a planet around τ Cnc, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 9.43, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Microscopium. It would be invisible to the naked eye.
Neighbours
Its nearest neighbours in the catalogue (within 20 light-years):
- HIP 45490 17.4 light-years
- HIP 44823 18.8 light-years
- HIP 43976 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.