giant · B8III

Maia

Maia is a blue giant (spectral type B8III) about 440 light-years away. With an apparent magnitude of 3.87 it is easy to see with the naked eye under a dark sky.

A star of the Pleiades.

Its light output is roughly 440 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 November.

▶ Open the night sky

Key facts

Distance
≈ 440 light-years
Spectral type
B8III (giant)
Colour
Blue
Apparent magnitude
3.87 mag
Luminosity
≈ 440 × Sun
Position
Right ascension 3h 46m, declination 24.4°

More well-known stars

Data: Hipparcos / HYG catalogue (CC BY-SA 4.0). Luminosity and visibility are calculated estimates.