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Bellatrix

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description Bellatrix Overview

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 has been used as a photometric standard in stellar classification. Its name derives from Latin, meaning 'female warrior.'

help Bellatrix FAQ

Where is the star Bellatrix located?

Bellatrix is located in the constellation Orion, where it serves as the third-brightest star in the night sky formation. It is officially designated as Gamma Orionis and marks the hunter's left shoulder.

How far away is the star Bellatrix from Earth?

Bellatrix is located roughly 250 light-years away from our solar system. Because of its vast distance, the light we see from this massive star today actually began its journey during the 1700s.

What type of star is Bellatrix?

It is classified as a hot, massive blue giant star with a surface temperature of over 20,000 Kelvin. This extreme heat makes it one of the hottest bright stars visible to the naked eye, burning significantly hotter than our Sun.

Will Bellatrix ever go supernova?

Because it is such a massive blue giant star, astronomers believe Bellatrix will likely end its life in a supernova explosion. However, this stellar death is not expected to occur for millions of years, long after it exhausts its nuclear fuel.

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