supergiant · M1.5Iab
Antares
Antares is a red supergiant (spectral type M1.5Iab) about 550 light-years away. With an apparent magnitude of 1.06 it is a very bright, conspicuous star.
A red supergiant, roughly 700 times the size of the Sun. Its name means "rival of Mars".
Its light output is roughly 9,200 times that of the Sun (a rough estimate in visible light, calculated from brightness and distance).
From Germany (52° N) it rises and sets; it is best seen in the evening in May.
Key facts
- Distance
- ≈ 550 light-years
- Spectral type
- M1.5Iab (supergiant)
- Colour
- Red
- Apparent magnitude
- 1.06 mag
- Luminosity
- ≈ 9,200 × Sun
- Position
- Right ascension 16h 29m, declination -26.4°
More well-known stars
Data: Hipparcos / HYG catalogue (CC BY-SA 4.0). Luminosity and visibility are calculated estimates.