Star profile
Toliman
Alpha 2 Centauri · Centaurus
Binary systemWhat is Toliman
Toliman, also known as Alpha Centauri B, is one of the Sun's closest neighbours: just 4.3 light-years away, a cosmic stroll. It forms a binary system with its larger twin, two suns orbiting each other in a slow centuries-long dance across the southern sky. Its warm orange light belongs to a star slightly older than our own, an almost familiar reflection seen from afar.
Where it is and when to see it
Toliman 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 May, 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 63° up.
It can be seen from anywhere south of 29° N.
It ranks no. 3 in brightness among the 174 stars of Centaurus in our catalogue. To find it, start from Rigil Kentaurus, the brightest: it lies about 1° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 4 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 Toliman
- Constellation
- Centaurus
- Apparent magnitude
- 1.35
- Distance
- 4.3 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 219.905° · Dec -60.838°
- Catalogue
- HIP 71681 · HD 128621
A symbolic commemorative gift: neither the signature nor the chosen name implies ownership of the star or recognition by the IAU.
Other stars in Centaurus
Centaurus has 174 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- Rigil KentaurusAlpha 1 Centauri-0.01
- HadarBeta Centauri0.61
- MenkentTheta Centauri2.06
- Gamma Centauri2.20
- Epsilon Centauri2.29
- Eta Centauri2.33
- Zeta Centauri2.55
- Delta Centauri2.58