Blue-white giant · Centaurus

Hadar

Also known as: β Centauri (β Cen), HIP 68702

mag 0.6390 light-years

About

Hadar (β Centauri) is a blue-white giant of magnitude 0.6 in Centaurus, about 390 light-years away.

Hadar is in the constellation Centaurus.
Best evenings: around early June 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 20° N.
Star patterns: Southern Cross and the Pointers.

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.

EyesA first-magnitude star, obvious even from a city. It looks blue-white.
Binoculars (10×50)Dazzling, with its colour stronger than to the eye.
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	Hadar
Designation	β Centauri (β Cen)
Hipparcos number	HIP 68702
Type	Blue-white giant
Spectral type	B1III
Colour	Blue-whiteB−V colour index −0.23
Magnitude	0.6The smaller the number, the brighter.
Distance	390 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1630.
Proper motion	0.042″ per year across the sky
Constellation	Centaurus
Right ascension (J2000)	14h 03m 49.4s
Declination (J2000)	−60° 22′ 23″