Star profile
La Superba
Variable starWhat is La Superba
La Superba owes its name to the Italian astronomer Angelo Secchi, who in the nineteenth century described it as «one of the most wonderful stars in the sky» for its intense crimson colour, nearly unique among visible stars. It is a variable star, a carbon giant whose atmosphere filters out blue light and lets only the warmest tones through. It shines from about 1,045 light-years away: the light arriving tonight set out in the heart of the European Middle Ages.
Where it is and when to see it
La Superba lies in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is March, when it culminates around midnight.
- From London it never sets and culminates about 84° up.
- From New York it culminates about 85° above the horizon.
- From Sydney it culminates about 11° above the horizon.
It can be seen from anywhere north of 45° S.
It ranks no. 15 in brightness among the 33 stars of Canes Venatici in our catalogue. To find it, start from Cor Caroli, the brightest: it lies about 7° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 1,000 years ago.
It opens in your browser. Free, no account, nothing to install.
Leave your signature on La Superba
Your name and a message go up on the map for everyone to read. Signing is free.
Without a lock, someone else can replace your signature. How the lock works
We'll ask for an email to confirm it's you, no password.
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 La Superba
- Constellation
- Canes Venatici
- Apparent magnitude
- 5.42
- Distance
- 1045.5 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 191.283° · Dec 45.440°
- Catalogue
- HIP 62223 · HD 110914
A symbolic commemorative gift: neither the signature nor the chosen name implies ownership of the star or recognition by the IAU.
Other stars in Canes Venatici
Canes Venatici has 33 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- Cor CaroliAlpha 2 Canum Venaticorum2.89
- CharaBeta Canum Venaticorum4.24
- 24 Canum Venaticorum4.68
- 14 Canum Venaticorum5.20
- 3 Canum Venaticorum5.28
- HIP 613095.42
- HIP 672505.51
- 23 Canum Venaticorum5.60