Yellow-white supergiant · Auriga

Almaaz

Also known as: ε Aurigae (ε Aur), HIP 23416

mag 3.02,100 light-years

About

Almaaz (ε Aurigae) is a yellow-white supergiant of magnitude 3.0 in Auriga, about 2,100 light-years away.

Almaaz is in the constellation Auriga.
Best evenings: around late January it is highest at about 9 pm (10 pm in summer time); a month earlier, two hours later.
Where on Earth: it is seen well, at least 10° up, from north of 36° S.

When it rises and sets tonight, how high it climbs and how much the Moon gets in the way are worked out in your browser for your place.

EyesVisible from the suburbs on a clear night, but lost in bright city skies.
Binoculars (10×50)A sharp point; binoculars bring out its colour and the fainter stars around it.
Telescope (6–8 inch)Still a point of light at any magnification — stars are too far away to show a disc. Low in the sky, bright stars twinkle and flash colours.

Stars look the same in any instrument: brighter and sharper, but never bigger.

Proper name	Almaaz
Designation	ε Aurigae (ε Aur)
Hipparcos number	HIP 23416
Type	Yellow-white supergiant
Spectral type	F0Ia
Colour	YellowB−V colour index 0.54
Magnitude	3.0The smaller the number, the brighter.
Distance	2,100 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 100 BC. Distances this large are uncertain by 10% or more.
Proper motion	0.002″ per year across the sky
Constellation	Auriga
Right ascension (J2000)	05h 01m 58.1s
Declination (J2000)	+43° 49′ 24″