Star profile
Polaris Australis
Sigma Octans · Octans
Variable starWhat is Polaris Australis
Polaris Australis is the southern hemisphere's pole star, the brightest star closest to the southern celestial pole, lying within the obscure minor constellation of Octans. Unlike its famous northern counterpart, it is unassuming and faint: a yellow variable of magnitude near the limit of the naked eye on a clear night. At 281 light-years, it served as a silent reference for southern navigators long before any precise telescope ever confirmed its exact position above the pole.
Where it is and when to see it
Polaris Australis lies in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is June, 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 35° up.
It can be seen from anywhere south of 1° N.
It ranks no. 14 in brightness among the 35 stars of Octans in our catalogue. To find it, start from Nu Octans, the brightest: it lies about 12° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 280 years ago.
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Astronomical data for Polaris Australis
- Constellation
- Octans
- Apparent magnitude
- 5.45
- Distance
- 281.0 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 317.192° · Dec -88.956°
- Catalogue
- HIP 104382 · HD 177482
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Other stars in Octans
Octans has 35 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- Nu Octans3.73
- Beta Octans4.13
- Delta Octans4.31
- Chi Octans5.29
- Xi Octans5.32
- Zeta Octans5.43
- Iota Octans5.45
- Phi Octans5.47