Star profile
Alpha Pyxidis
Hot blue starWhat is Alpha Pyxidis
Alpha Pyxidis is the dominant light of the Mariner's Compass, a late constellation carved out in the eighteenth century by the Frenchman Lacaille. Some 879 light-years away burns a blue B-type giant, pouring out energy that easily exceeds a hundred thousand suns. Its companions from the ancient ship Argo sail beside it across the southern sky, and in this symbolic compass the bluish star serves as a perpetual needle pointing back to the Argonauts' voyage.
Where it is and when to see it
Alpha Pyxidis lies in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is February, when it culminates around midnight.
- From London it culminates about 5° above the horizon.
- From New York it culminates about 16° above the horizon.
- From Sydney it culminates about 89° above the horizon.
It can be seen from anywhere south of 57° N.
It is the brightest of the 18 stars of Pyxis 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 880 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 Alpha Pyxidis
- Constellation
- Pyxis
- Apparent magnitude
- 3.68
- Distance
- 879.2 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 130.898° · Dec -33.186°
- Catalogue
- HIP 42828 · HD 74575
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Other stars in Pyxis
Pyxis has 18 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- Beta Pyxidis3.97
- Gamma Pyxidis4.02
- Kappa Pyxidis4.62
- Theta Pyxidis4.71
- Lambda Pyxidis4.71
- Zeta Pyxidis4.86
- Delta Pyxidis4.87
- HIP 424305.05