Blue-white supergiant · Orion

Saiph

Also known as: κ Orionis (κ Ori), HIP 27366

mag 2.1650 light-years

About

Saiph (κ Orionis) is a blue-white supergiant of magnitude 2.1 in Orion, about 650 light-years away.

Saiph is in the constellation Orion.
Best evenings: around early February 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 70° 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.

EyesEasy, even from town. It looks blue-white.
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	Saiph
Designation	κ Orionis (κ Ori)
Hipparcos number	HIP 27366
Type	Blue-white supergiant
Spectral type	B0.5Iavar
Colour	Blue-whiteB−V colour index −0.17
Magnitude	2.1The smaller the number, the brighter.
Distance	650 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1380.
Proper motion	0.002″ per year across the sky
Constellation	Orion
Right ascension (J2000)	05h 47m 45.4s
Declination (J2000)	−09° 40′ 11″