giant · O7.5III
Menkib
Menkib is a blue giant (spectral type O7.5III) about 1,200 light-years away. With an apparent magnitude of 3.97 it is easy to see with the naked eye under a dark sky.
An extremely hot star in Perseus that makes the California Nebula glow.
Its light output is roughly 3,000 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.
Key facts
- Distance
- ≈ 1,200 light-years
- Spectral type
- O7.5III (giant)
- Colour
- Blue
- Apparent magnitude
- 3.97 mag
- Luminosity
- ≈ 3,000 × Sun
- Position
- Right ascension 3h 59m, declination 35.8°
More well-known stars
Data: Hipparcos / HYG catalogue (CC BY-SA 4.0). Luminosity and visibility are calculated estimates.