Rigel
Rigel (β Orionis) is a blue-white supergiant star in the constellation Orion. With an apparent magnitude of 0.12 it is the 7th-brightest star in the night sky, and it is about 860 light-years from Earth.
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Facts
| Constellation | Orion |
|---|---|
| Designation | β Orionis (Beta Orionis), HR 1713 |
| Apparent magnitude | 0.12 (7th brightest) |
| Spectral type | B8Ia: |
| Color | blue-white (B−V -0.03) |
| Distance | about 860 light-years |
| Right ascension | 5 h 14.5 min |
| Declination | −8.20° |
| Best month | January (at about 9 pm) |
How to find Rigel
Rigel is in Orion. From 40° N it is highest in the south in January evenings, about 42° above the horizon. From 35° S it reaches about 63° in the north. Nearby bright stars: Saiph (8° away), Alnilam (9° away) and Mintaka (9° away).
Where on Earth can you see Rigel?
Rigel is best seen in the evening in January. The table shows, for different latitudes, whether it ever rises and how high it climbs when it crosses the meridian.
| Latitude | Visibility | Highest point |
|---|---|---|
| 60° N (Oslo, Helsinki) | Rises and sets | 22° (south) |
| 50° N (Frankfurt, Prague) | Rises and sets | 32° (south) |
| 40° N (New York, Madrid, Beijing) | Rises and sets | 42° (south) |
| 30° N (Cairo, New Orleans) | Rises and sets | 52° (south) |
| 20° N (Mexico City, Mumbai) | Rises and sets | 62° (south) |
| 0° (Quito, Nairobi) | Rises and sets | 82° (south) |
| 20° S (Rio de Janeiro area) | Rises and sets | 78° (north) |
| 35° S (Sydney, Buenos Aires) | Rises and sets | 63° (north) |
| 45° S (Dunedin, southern Patagonia) | Rises and sets | 53° (north) |
How far away is Rigel?
Rigel is about 860 light-years from Earth. The light you see tonight left the star around the year 1170. That is about 197 times farther than Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to the Sun.
What kind of star is Rigel?
Rigel has the spectral type B8Ia:. Stars of class B have surface temperatures of about 10,000 to 30,000 kelvin, which makes them look blue-white. It is a supergiant: a massive star late in its life, far larger and many thousands of times more luminous than the Sun.
Messier objects near Rigel
Within 12° of Rigel (about the width of a fist at arm's length) lie Orion Nebula (M42) at 6°, De Mairan's Nebula (M43) at 6° and Messier 78 (M78) at 12°.
Questions about Rigel
How far away is Rigel?
About 860 light-years. The light we see today left it around the year 1170.
What color is Rigel?
Rigel looks blue-white. Its spectral type is B8Ia:, which means a surface temperature of about 10,000 to 30,000 kelvin.
Can you see Rigel from the Northern Hemisphere?
Yes. From 40° N it rises and sets; at its highest it stands 42° high in the south.
Can you see Rigel from the Southern Hemisphere?
Yes. From 35° S it rises and sets; at its highest it stands 63° high in the north.
When is the best time to see Rigel?
In the evening in January, when it is highest at about 9 pm. It is 0.12 magnitude, the 7th-brightest star in the night sky.