// Constellation
Centaurus
“Centaur”
- Latin name
- Centaurus (Cen)
- Best visibility
- evenings in May
- Fully visible between
- 25° N – 90° S
- Naked-eye stars
- 174
Centaurus is highest in the evening sky (around 9 pm) in May. The whole constellation rises above the horizon between 25° N and 90° S. Its brightest star is Rigil Kentaurus at magnitude -0.01 — about 4 light-years away.
The brightest stars
| Star | Designation | Magnitude | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rigil Kentaurus | α¹ Cen | -0.01 | 4 ly |
| Hadar | β Cen | 0.61 | 392 ly |
| Toliman | α² Cen | 1.35 | 4 ly |
| Menkent | θ Cen | 2.06 | 59 ly |
| — | γ Cen | 2.2 | 130 ly |
| — | ε Cen | 2.29 | 427 ly |
More constellations
Star data: HYG database. Constellation borders: IAU.