Star profile
Altair
Alpha Aquilae · Aquila
Variable starWhat is Altair
Altair, «the flying eagle» in Arabic, marks the eye of the celestial Eagle and forms the Summer Triangle with Vega and Deneb. Only 16.7 light years away, it is among the closest white stars to the Sun; it spins so quickly that its equator has been measurably flattened. A faint variability adds a slow pulse to its light, turning it into a restless beacon on warm summer nights.
Where it is and when to see it
Altair lies in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is one of the brightest stars in the sky: visible even from a city. Its best month of the year is July, when it culminates around midnight.
- From London it culminates about 47° above the horizon.
- From New York it culminates about 58° above the horizon.
- From Sydney it culminates about 47° above the horizon.
It can be seen from anywhere north of 81° S.
It is the brightest of the 72 stars of Aquila 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 17 years ago.
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Astronomical data for Altair
- Constellation
- Aquila
- Apparent magnitude
- 0.76
- Distance
- 16.7 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 297.696° · Dec 8.868°
- Catalogue
- HIP 97649 · HD 187642
A symbolic commemorative gift: neither the signature nor the chosen name implies ownership of the star or recognition by the IAU.
Other stars in Aquila
Aquila has 72 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- TarazedGamma Aquilae2.72
- OkabZeta Aquilae2.99
- Theta Aquilae3.24
- Delta Aquilae3.36
- Lambda Aquilae3.43
- AlshainBeta Aquilae3.71
- Eta Aquilae3.87
- Epsilon Aquilae4.02