Scorpii alpha
See also: Antarès (homonymy)
Antarès is a star at the end of the lifetime doubles Scorpion whose most brilliant component (α Scorpii) is a red Supergéante of 300 solar diameters.
To color of what such a size represents, and knowing that the sun measures 1,3 million kilometers in diameter is 0,01 ua, that of Antarès is equivalent to 3 ua… in other words brought back to our solar system, it would include the orbit of Mars!
It is located at approximately 600 light-years of the Ground. Its magnitude varies from 0,9 to 1,8. It is 9.000 times more luminous than our sun and is surrounded by gas.
The best period to observe Antarès is in the neighborhoods of the May 31st when the star is in opposition to the Sun. It rises then to laying down sun to disappear at dawn and is thus visible all the night.
Very close to Antarès is M4, globular Amas interesting to observe, although never rising well above the horizon (in the moderate part of the Northern Hemisphere). Note: In Greek, “anti Arès” wants to say “Rival Ares” (Mars god of the war in the mythology of ancient Rome) or Égal of Mars and the star owes its name with its red color similar to that of the planet Mars.
See too
- List of stars by size
- List of most brilliant stars
External bond
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