Star profile

Fomalhaut

Alpha Piscis Austrini · Piscis Austrinus

Nearby star

3D likeness based on its real data · class A · ~8,500 K

What is Fomalhaut

Fomalhaut — «the mouth of the fish» in medieval Arabic — burns alone in a sparse patch of the southern sky, earning it the old nickname «the solitary star of autumn». At 25 light-years it is a close neighbour, a young white A-type ringed by a vast dust disc where astronomers hunt for worlds still taking shape. Its light, a recent traveller in cosmic terms, set out barely a quarter of a century ago.

Where it is and when to see it

Fomalhaut lies in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is one of the brightest stars in the sky: visible even from a city. Its best month of the year is August, when it culminates around midnight.

From London it culminates about 9° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 20° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 86° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere south of 60° N.

It is the brightest of the 26 stars of Piscis Austrinus in our catalogue, which makes it the best starting point for finding your way around the constellation.

The light you see today left it about 25 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 Fomalhaut

Constellation: Piscis Austrinus
Apparent magnitude: 1.17
Distance: 25.1 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 344.413° · Dec -29.622°
Catalogue: HIP 113368 · HD 216956

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Other stars in Piscis Austrinus

Piscis Austrinus has 26 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 26 stars in Piscis Austrinus