White star · Carina
υ Carinae
Also known as: υ Car, HIP 48002
mag 2.91,400 light-years
About
υ Carinae is a white star of magnitude 2.9 in Carina, about 1,400 light-years away.
How to find it
- υ Carinae is in the constellation Carina.
- Best evenings: around early April 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 15° N.
- Star patterns: Diamond Cross.
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
| Designation | υ Carinae (υ Car) |
|---|---|
| Hipparcos number | HIP 48002 |
| Type | White star |
| Spectral type | A9 |
| Colour | Yellowish whiteB−V colour index 0.27 |
| Magnitude | 2.9The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Distance | 1,400 light-yearsThe light you see left it around AD 600. Distances this large are uncertain by 10% or more. |
| Proper motion | 0.013″ per year across the sky |
| Constellation | Carina |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 09h 47m 06.1s |
| Declination (J2000) | −65° 04′ 19″ |
Sources and credits
Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →