Star profile
Gamma Columbae
Hot blue starWhat is Gamma Columbae
Gamma Columbae is a blue B-type star nearly 870 light-years away, set within the modest constellation of the Dove, devised by the cartographer Petrus Plancius as a reminder of the biblical bird of the Flood. Its scorching surface radiates a power far beyond the Sun's, though distance softens its apparent brilliance. Seen from Earth, it seems to swim silently near the feet of Canis Major, in a region of the sky ruled by hot stars.
Where it is and when to see it
Gamma Columbae lies in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is December, when it culminates around midnight.
- From London it culminates about 3° above the horizon.
- From New York it culminates about 14° above the horizon.
- From Sydney it culminates about 89° above the horizon.
It can be seen from anywhere south of 55° N.
It ranks no. 6 in brightness among the 45 stars of Columba in our catalogue. To find it, start from Phact, the brightest: it lies about 4° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 870 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 Gamma Columbae
- Constellation
- Columba
- Apparent magnitude
- 4.36
- Distance
- 869.9 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 89.384° · Dec -35.283°
- Catalogue
- HIP 28199 · HD 40494
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Other stars in Columba
Columba has 45 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- PhactAlpha Columbae2.65
- WaznBeta Columbae3.12
- Delta Columbae3.85
- Epsilon Columbae3.86
- Eta Columbae3.96
- Kappa Columbae4.37
- Omicron Columbae4.81
- Lambda Columbae4.88