Blue-white main-sequence star · Scorpius
Fang
Also known as: π Scorpii (π Sco), HIP 78265
mag 2.9590 light-years
About
Fang (π Scorpii) is a blue-white main-sequence star of magnitude 2.9 in Scorpius, about 590 light-years away.
How to find it
- Fang is in the constellation Scorpius.
- Best evenings: around early July 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 south of 54° N.
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.
What you will see
- EyesEasy, even from town.
- 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.
Facts
| Proper name | Fang |
|---|---|
| Designation | π Scorpii (π Sco) |
| Hipparcos number | HIP 78265 |
| Type | Blue-white main-sequence star |
| Spectral type | B1V + B2V |
| Colour | Blue-whiteB−V colour index −0.18 |
| Magnitude | 2.9The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Distance | 590 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1440. |
| Proper motion | 0.028″ per year across the sky |
| Constellation | Scorpius |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 15h 58m 51.1s |
| Declination (J2000) | −26° 06′ 51″ |
More in Scorpius
Sources and credits
Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →