giant · B1III
Spica
Spica is a blue giant (spectral type B1III) about 250 light-years away. With an apparent magnitude of 0.98 it is a very bright, conspicuous star.
Two hot blue stars orbiting each other in 4 days.
Its light output is roughly 2,000 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 April.
Key facts
- Distance
- ≈ 250 light-years
- Spectral type
- B1III (giant)
- Colour
- Blue
- Apparent magnitude
- 0.98 mag
- Luminosity
- ≈ 2,000 × Sun
- Position
- Right ascension 13h 25m, declination -11.2°
More well-known stars
Data: Hipparcos / HYG catalogue (CC BY-SA 4.0). Luminosity and visibility are calculated estimates.