Star · A3V
τ Vir
τ Vir is a main-sequence star of spectral type A3V in the constellation Virgo, 226.8 light-years from the Sun.
| Other names | HIP 68520 |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Virgo |
| Distance | 226.8 light-years (69.5 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 4.23 |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude 0.02 |
| Spectral type | A3V |
| Surface temperature | 8,830 K |
| Luminosity | 97.6 L☉ |
| Radius | 4.22 R☉ |
| Mass | 3.36 M☉ (estimated) |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 14h 01m 38.8s |
| Declination (J2000) | +1° 32′ 40″ |
| Space velocity (relative to the Sun) | 9.5 km/s |
In the sky
Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 4.23). Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 88° S. It stands highest at midnight in April, the best time to observe it.
Through a telescope from Earth
Light's journey
The light you see tonight set out around the year 1799. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 4.0 million years.
The Sun seen from there
From a planet around τ Vir, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 9.04, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Cetus. It would be invisible to the naked eye.
Neighbours
Its nearest neighbours in the catalogue (within 20 light-years):
- HIP 68539 6.42 light-years
- HIP 68619 9.35 light-years
- HIP 67875 15.9 light-years
- HIP 69884 16.4 light-years
- HIP 67828 16.9 light-years
- HIP 69151 17.0 light-years
- SDSS J140442.39-022426.1 17.7 light-years
Position, brightness and colour from the HYG / AT-HYG catalogue; temperature, luminosity, radius and mass are approximate values computed from these observations.