Star profile
Sigma Pavonis
What is Sigma Pavonis
Sigma Pavonis is an orange giant some three hundred light-years away, in a southern constellation dedicated to Hera's sacred bird. The Peacock entered European catalogues at the close of the sixteenth century thanks to the Dutch navigator Pieter Keyser, on his voyage to the East Indies. Sigma burns in its body, beyond the reach of northern observatories.
Where it is and when to see it
Sigma Pavonis lies in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is July, when it culminates around midnight.
- From London it never rises above the horizon.
- From New York it never rises above the horizon.
- From Sydney it never sets and culminates about 55° up.
It can be seen from anywhere south of 21° N.
It ranks no. 26 in brightness among the 44 stars of Pavo in our catalogue. To find it, start from Peacock, the brightest: it lies about 12° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 300 years ago.
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A public signature from a real person. The chosen name is a symbolic denomination within Stelvia, with no official standing or IAU recognition: the sky is not for sale and belongs to no one.
Astronomical data for Sigma Pavonis
- Constellation
- Pavo
- Apparent magnitude
- 5.41
- Distance
- 302.0 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 312.326° · Dec -68.777°
- Catalogue
- HIP 102773 · HD 197635
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Other stars in Pavo
Pavo has 44 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- PeacockAlpha Pavonis1.94
- Beta Pavonis3.42
- Delta Pavonis3.55
- HIP 941505.31
- Mu 2 Pavonis5.32
- HIP 975345.39
- HIP 976465.41
- HIP 1060445.47