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Star profile

Alpha Scutum

3D likeness based on its real data · class K · ~4,200 K

What is Alpha Scutum

α Scuti is the brightest star of the Shield, a small constellation crafted by Hevelius in the 17th century to honour John III Sobieski. An orange K-type giant 199 light-years away, she shines above one of the densest star fields in the Milky Way, exactly toward the galactic centre, amid dust clouds and swarms of distant suns.

Where it is and when to see it

Alpha Scutum lies in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is July, when it culminates around midnight.

  • From London it culminates about 30° above the horizon.
  • From New York it culminates about 41° above the horizon.
  • From Sydney it culminates about 64° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere south of 82° N.

It is the brightest of the 18 stars of Scutum 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 200 years ago.

Find it on the sky map

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Leave your signature on Alpha Scutum

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

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Write my signature

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 Scutum

Constellation
Scutum
Apparent magnitude
3.85
Distance
199.1 light years
Coordinates (J2000)
RA 278.802° · Dec -8.244°
Catalogue
HIP 91117 · HD 171443

A symbolic commemorative gift: neither the signature nor the chosen name implies ownership of the star or recognition by the IAU.

Other stars in Scutum

Scutum has 18 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 18 stars in Scutum