HADAR
DISTANCE: 530 ly
APPARENT MAGNITUDE: 0.60 m
SPECTRAL CLASS: B1 lll
By Hipparcos mission data, Beta Centauri is at a distance of about 525/30 light-years, although this may be subject to some debate. If the Hipparcos data is to be taken, of the top 20 brightest stars in our sky, this star ranks as 4th in both intrinsic brightness and distance. A number of other physical characteristics of Beta Centauri are not entirely clear. Dr. James Kaler places it at a distance of 335 light-years. He also gives it a probable surface temperature of about 22,500 K (about 40,000 F or about 4 times as hot as the sun), and a mass of about 9.5 times that of the sun. With that temperature and mass, Beta Centauri must be about 15,500 as luminous as our sun, with a radius 8 times as great. If it is at the greater distance, those values will increase as well.
(far right)
DISTANCE: 530 ly
APPARENT MAGNITUDE: 0.60 m
SPECTRAL CLASS: B1 lll
By Hipparcos mission data, Beta Centauri is at a distance of about 525/30 light-years, although this may be subject to some debate. If the Hipparcos data is to be taken, of the top 20 brightest stars in our sky, this star ranks as 4th in both intrinsic brightness and distance. A number of other physical characteristics of Beta Centauri are not entirely clear. Dr. James Kaler places it at a distance of 335 light-years. He also gives it a probable surface temperature of about 22,500 K (about 40,000 F or about 4 times as hot as the sun), and a mass of about 9.5 times that of the sun. With that temperature and mass, Beta Centauri must be about 15,500 as luminous as our sun, with a radius 8 times as great. If it is at the greater distance, those values will increase as well.
(far right)
