Top Results for B Type

Algol is a binary star system notable for its predictable dimming due to an eclipsing orbit. The primary and secondary stars regularly pass in front of each other from our perspective, causing fluctuations in brightness. This behavior was one of the first astronomical phenomena to be explained throu...

Acrux, officially designated Alpha Crucis, is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Crux, commonly known as the Southern Cross. Located approximately 320 light-years from Earth, it appears as a single point of light to the naked eye but is actually a complex multiple star system compos...

Spica, designated Alpha Virginis, is the brightest star in the constellation of Virgo and a prominent binary star system. Located approximately 250 light-years from Earth, the system consists of two massive B-type stars orbiting so closely that their mutual gravity distorts them into ellipsoidal sha...

Regulus, designated Alpha Leonis, is the brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere constellation of Leo. It is a multiple-star system located roughly 79 light-years from Earth, with its primary component being a hot, blue-white main-sequence star. This primary star rotates at an exceptiona...

Hadar, officially designated Beta Centauri, is a prominent triple star system located in the southern constellation of Centaurus. The system's primary components consist of a pair of massive B-type stars that orbit each other, accompanied by a fainter, distant companion. Hadar ranks among the bright...

Beta Lyrae, also called Sheliak, is an eclipsing binary star system in the constellation Lyra. The two stars orbit closely and exchange matter, so their changing shapes, eclipses, and interactions produce regular variations in brightness rather than a simple single-star pulse. Beta Lyrae serves as t...

Achernar, designated Alpha Eridani, is the brightest star in the constellation Eridanus and the ninth-brightest star in the night sky. Classified as a hot, blue main-sequence B-type star, it is located in the southern celestial hemisphere. Due to its exceptionally rapid rotation, Achernar is signifi...

Alkaid, designated Eta Ursae Majoris, is a blue-white main-sequence star located at the tip of the handle of the Big Dipper in Ursa Major. It is approximately 104 light-years from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of around 1.86, making it one of the brightest stars in the asterism. Unlike the oth...

Shaula, designated Lambda Scorpii, is the second-brightest star in the constellation Scorpius and marks the tip of the scorpion's tail. The name derives from the Arabic for 'the raised tail.' It is a multiple-star system located approximately 570 light-years from Earth, with the primary component cl...

Adhara is a binary star system located approximately 430 light-years away in the constellation Canis Major. The primary component is a blue-white giant or supergiant star that ranks as the second-brightest star in the constellation after Sirius. Historically significant for its ultraviolet emissions...

Alpheratz, officially designated as Alpha Andromedae, is a bright binary star system marking the northeast corner of the Great Square of Pegasus asterism. Historically, the star was also designated as Delta Pegasi due to its shared location on the conceptual border between the Pegasus and Andromeda...

Bellatrix (Gamma Orionis) is the third-brightest star in the constellation Orion, marking the hunter's left shoulder. It is a blue giant of spectral type B2 III located approximately 250 light-years from Earth. With a surface temperature around 22,000 K, it is among the hotter naked-eye stars and ha...

Kaus Australis, designated Epsilon Sagittarii, is a blue-white giant star situated roughly 143 light-years away from Earth. It is the brightest star in the zodiacal constellation of Sagittarius and serves as a key reference point in southern celestial navigation. The star's traditional name is a lin...

2 Pallas is the second-largest asteroid in the main asteroid belt, discovered by the German astronomer Heinrich Wilhelm Matthias Olbers in 1802. Classified as a B-type asteroid, it is composed of silicate and carbon compounds, giving it a dark surface. Pallas follows a highly inclined orbit, tilted...

Cygnus OB2-12 is a blue hypergiant in the Cygnus OB2 association and one of the most intrinsically luminous stars in the Milky Way, heavily obscured by dust and most detectable at infrared wavelengths.

Mirzam, officially designated Beta Canis Majoris, is a blue-white giant star located roughly 500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Canis Major. It serves as the prototype for the Beta Canis Majoris variables, a class of pulsating variable stars. The star is one of the brightest in the nigh...

Elnath, designated Beta Tauri, is a blue-white giant star located approximately 130 light-years from Earth. It is the second-brightest star in the constellation Taurus and historically also marked the southern horn of the bull. Due to its position, it was formerly classified as Gamma Aurigae, sharin...

Aludra, designated Eta Canis Majoris, is a blue supergiant star of spectral type B5 located in the constellation Canis Major. Positioned roughly 3,000 light-years from Earth, it ranks among the most intrinsically luminous stars in the night sky, emitting hundreds of thousands of times more light tha...

Markab, designated Alpha Pegasi, is a hot blue-white subgiant star located in the constellation Pegasus. It is the third-brightest star in the constellation and serves as the southwest corner of the Great Square of Pegasus asterism, which dominates the autumn night sky. The star has exhausted the hy...

Nunki is the traditional name of Sigma Sagittarii, a prominent star in the constellation Sagittarius. It is a hot, blue-white B-type main-sequence star located roughly 228 light-years from Earth and forms part of the Teapot asterism. Nunki is the second-brightest star in Sagittarius by apparent magn...

Upsilon Scorpii, traditionally named Lesath, is a hot blue-white subgiant star located in the southern constellation of Scorpius. Positioned approximately 580 light-years from Earth, it marks the southern tip of the scorpion's stinger. Lesath forms a visual pair with the neighboring star Shaula, col...

Alnair, also designated Alpha Gruis, is the brightest star in the southern constellation Grus. It is a hot, blue-white B-type main-sequence star located roughly 100 light-years from the Sun and has an apparent visual magnitude of about 1.7. Its traditional name comes from an Arabic expression meanin...

Paikauhale, formally designated Tau Scorpii, is a hot blue-white main-sequence star located in the constellation Scorpius. The star is scientifically notable for its strong stellar winds, complex magnetic fields, and corresponding X-ray emissions. Its traditional Hawaiian name, meaning "irresponsibl...

Zubeneschamali, also designated Beta Librae, is the brightest star in Libra and a naked-eye star of about magnitude 2.6. Its B8 V spectral classification identifies it as a hot blue-white main-sequence star. The traditional name means “the northern claw,” reflecting the older association of Libra’s...

π Scorpii (Fang) is a triple star system in Scorpius, roughly 590 light-years from Earth, whose name originates from the Chinese lunar mansion called the Room.

Theta Carinae, designated θ Carinae, is a bright early B-type star in the southern constellation Carina and the prominent central light of the open cluster IC 2602. The cluster is commonly called the Southern Pleiades because its visible grouping resembles the better-known Pleiades in Taurus. Theta...

Tiaki, formally designated Beta Gruis, is the second-brightest star in the southern constellation Grus. It is an evolved red giant on the asymptotic giant branch, with a cool surface and an M-type spectral classification. Beta Gruis is also a semiregular variable star, meaning that its apparent brig...

Kraz is the proper name of Beta Corvi, a bright star in Corvus, the constellation representing the crow. It is generally identified as the constellation's second-brightest star and lies roughly 140 light-years from Earth. Kraz is a yellow bright giant with a spectral classification near G5, making i...

Phact is the proper name of Alpha Columbae, the brightest star in Columba, a southern constellation representing a dove. It is a hot blue-white B-type star with an apparent visual magnitude of approximately 2.65, making it readily visible to the unaided eye under suitable southern skies. Despite its...