For other uses, see Canopus (disambiguation).

Canopus

An image of Canopus by Expedition 6
Observation data Epoch J2000
Constellation (pronunciation)	Carina
Right ascension	06h 23m 57. Crew Kenneth Bowersox (5 Commander - NASA Nikolai Budarin (3 Flight Engineer - RSA Donald In Astronomy, an epoch is a moment in time used as a reference for the Orbital elements of a Celestial body. In common usage a constellation is a group of celestial bodies that are connected together in some arrangement typically stars to form a visible figure or picture Each culture has its own Constellations usually based on Mythology. Carina ( Keel) is a southern Constellation which forms part of the old constellation of Argo Navis. Right ascension (abbrev RA; symbol α) is the Astronomical term for one of the two Coordinates of a point on the Celestial sphere 1099s[1]
Declination	−52° 41′ 44. In Astronomy, declination (abbrev dec or δ) is one of the two coordinates of the Equatorial coordinate system, the other being either 378″
Apparent magnitude (V)	−0. The apparent magnitude ( m) of a celestial body is a measure of its Brightness as seen by an observer on Earth, normalized to the value 72
Characteristics
Spectral type	F0 Ia
U-B color index	0. In Astronomy, stellar classification is a classification of Stars based initially on photospheric temperature and its associated Spectral characteristics In Astronomy, the color index is a simple numerical expression that determines the color of an object which in the case of a Star gives its Temperature 04
B-V color index	0. In Astronomy, the color index is a simple numerical expression that determines the color of an object which in the case of a Star gives its Temperature 15
Variable type	None
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)	20. For the astronomical object see Variable star. Variable Star is a 2006 novel written by Spider Robinson Astrometry is the branch of Astronomy that relates to precise measurements and explanations of the positions and movements of Stars and other celestial bodies Radial velocity is the Velocity of an object in the direction of the line of sight (i 5[1] km/s
Proper motion (μ)	RA: 19. The proper motion of a Star is the measurement of its change in position in the sky over time after Improper motions are accounted for 99 [1] mas/yr Dec. A minute of arc, arcminute, or MOA is a unit of angular measurement, equal to one sixtieth (1/60 of one degree. A year (from Old English gēr) is the time between two recurrences of an event related to the Orbit of the Earth around the Sun : 23. 67 [1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)	10. A minute of arc, arcminute, or MOA is a unit of angular measurement, equal to one sixtieth (1/60 of one degree. A year (from Old English gēr) is the time between two recurrences of an event related to the Orbit of the Earth around the Sun Parallax is an apparent displacement or difference of orientation of an object viewed along two different lines of sight and is measured by the angle or semi-angle of inclination between 43 ± 0. 53[1] mas
Distance	310 ± 20 ly (96 ± 5 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)	−5. A minute of arc, arcminute, or MOA is a unit of angular measurement, equal to one sixtieth (1/60 of one degree. Distance is a numerical description of how far apart objects are A light-year or light year (symbol ly) is a unit of Length, equal to just under ten trillion Kilometres As defined by History The first direct measurements of an object at interstellar distances were undertaken by German Astronomer Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel in 1838 In Astronomy, absolute magnitude (also known as absolute visual magnitude) is the Apparent magnitude an object would have if it were at a standard 53
Details
Radius	32. Remote Authentication Dial In User Service ( RADIUS) is a networking protocol that provides centralized access authorization and accounting management for people or computers 5 R☉
Surface gravity (log g)	1. In Astronomy, the solar radius is a unit of Length used to express the size of Stars It is equal to the current radius of the Sun. The surface gravity, g, of an astronomical or other object is the Gravitational acceleration experienced at its surface 50
Luminosity	13600 L☉
Temperature	7,350[2] K
Metallicity	90% Sun
Other designations
Suhel, Suhail, Suhayl, Alpha Carinae, HD 45348, HR 2326, CD−52°914, FK5 245, SAO 234480, HIP 30438, GC 8302
Database references
SIMBAD	data

Canopus (α Car / α Carinae / Alpha Carinae) is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Carina, and the second brightest star in the night-time sky, after Sirius. Luminosity has different meanings in several different fields of science The solar luminosity, L_\odot is a unit of Luminosity ( power emitted in the form of Photons conventionally used by Astronomers to Temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold something that is hotter generally has the greater temperature The kelvin (symbol K) is a unit increment of Temperature and is one of the seven SI base units The Kelvin scale is a thermodynamic In Astronomy and Physical cosmology, the metallicity of an object is the proportion of its matter made up of Chemical elements other than Hydrogen A star catalogue, or star catalog, is an Astronomical catalogue that lists Stars In Astronomy, many stars are referred to simply by catalogue The Henry Draper Catalogue ( HD) is an Astronomical Star catalogue published between 1918 and 1924 giving Spectroscopic classifications The Bright Star Catalogue, also known as the Yale Catalogue of Bright Stars or Yale Bright Star Catalogue, is a Star catalogue that lists of all stars of In Astronomy, Durchmusterung or Bonner Durchmusterung ( BD) is the usual name for three comprehensive astrometric Star catalogues The Catalogue of Fundamental Stars is a series of six astrometric catalogues of high precision positional data for a small selection of stars to define a celestial reference The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Star Catalog is an astrometric Star catalogue. The Hipparcos and Tycho Catalogues (Tycho-1 are the primary products of the European Space Agency 's astrometric mission Hipparcos. For the missile mounting see Mistral missile SIMBAD (the S et of I dentifications M easurements and B ibliography for Alpha (uppercase Α, lowercase α; Αλφα is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. A star is a massive luminous ball of plasma. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the Energy on Earth In common usage a constellation is a group of celestial bodies that are connected together in some arrangement typically stars to form a visible figure or picture Carina ( Keel) is a southern Constellation which forms part of the old constellation of Argo Navis. Bright stars are bright because they have high luminosities and/or they are nearby Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky with a visual Apparent magnitude of &minus1 Canopus's visual magnitude is −0. The apparent magnitude ( m) of a celestial body is a measure of its Brightness as seen by an observer on Earth, normalized to the value 72, and it has an absolute magnitude of −5. In Astronomy, absolute magnitude (also known as absolute visual magnitude) is the Apparent magnitude an object would have if it were at a standard 53.

Canopus is a rare example of a supergiant of spectral type F. Canopus is essentially white when seen with the naked eye (though F-type stars are sometimes listed as "yellowish-white"). It is located in the far southern sky, at a declination of −52° 42' (2000) and a right ascension of 06h24. In Astronomy, declination (abbrev dec or δ) is one of the two coordinates of the Equatorial coordinate system, the other being either Right ascension (abbrev RA; symbol α) is the Astronomical term for one of the two Coordinates of a point on the Celestial sphere 0m. ^[1]

Visibility

Since Canopus is so far south in the sky, it never rises in mid- or far-northern latitudes; it cannot be seen north of latitude 38°N. In the southern hemisphere, Canopus and Sirius are both visible high in the sky simultaneously, and reach the meridian just 21 minutes apart. It is a circumpolar star when seen from points south of latitude 38°S: this includes Melbourne, Australia; Wellington, New Zealand; Bahía Blanca, Argentina; and Valdivia, Chile. A circumpolar star is a star that as viewed from a given latitude on Earth never sets (that is never disappears below the horizon due to its proximity to one of the Celestial Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 Wellington (ˈwælɪŋtən is the Capital of New Zealand, the country's second largest urban area, the Bahía Blanca is a City located in the south-west of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, head town of Valdivia is a city and commune in southern Chile administered by the Municipality of Valdivia

Physical properties

Before the launching of the Hipparcos satellite telescope, distance estimates for the star varied widely, from 96 light years to 1200 light years. Hipparcos (an Acronym for Hi gh P recision Par allax Co llecting S atellite) was an Astrometry mission Had the latter distance been correct, Canopus would have been one of the most powerful stars in our galaxy. Hipparcos established Canopus as lying 310 light years (96 parsecs) from our solar system; this is based on a parallax measurement of 10. A light-year or light year (symbol ly) is a unit of Length, equal to just under ten trillion Kilometres As defined by History The first direct measurements of an object at interstellar distances were undertaken by German Astronomer Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel in 1838 The Solar System consists of the Sun and those celestial objects bound to it by Gravity. Parallax is an apparent displacement or difference of orientation of an object viewed along two different lines of sight and is measured by the angle or semi-angle of inclination between 43 ± 0. 53 mas. A minute of arc, arcminute, or MOA is a unit of angular measurement, equal to one sixtieth (1/60 of one degree. ^[1] The difficulty in measuring Canopus' distance stemmed from its unusual nature. The spectral classification for Canopus is F0 Ia (Ia referring to "bright supergiant"), and such stars are rare and poorly understood; they are stars that can be either in the process of evolving to or away from red giant status. A red giant is a luminous Giant star of low or intermediate mass (roughly 0 ^[3] This in turn made it difficult to know how intrinsically bright Canopus is, and therefore how far away it might be. Direct measurement was the only way to solve the problem. Canopus is too far away for Earth-based parallax observations to be made, so the star's distance was not known with certainty until the early 1990s.

Canopus is 15,000 times more luminous than the Sun and the most intrinsically bright star within approximately 700 light years. The Sun (Sol is the Star at the center of the Solar System. For most stars in the local stellar neighborhood, Canopus would appear to be one of the brightest stars in the sky. Canopus is out-shined by Sirius in our sky only because Sirius is far closer to the Earth (8 light years).

Its surface temperature has been estimated at 7350 ± 30 K. ^[2] Its diameter has been measured at 0. 6 astronomical units (the measured angular diameter being 0. The astronomical unit ( AU or au or au or sometimes ua) is a unit of Length based on the distance from the Earth to the 006 arcseconds), 65 times that of the sun. If it were placed at the centre of the solar system, it would extend three-quarters of the way to Mercury. An Earth-like planet would have to lie three times the distance of Pluto. ^[3]

Canopus is part of the Scorpius-Centaurus Association, a group of stars which share similar origins. The Scorpius-Centaurus Association (sometimes called Sco-Cen) is the nearest OB Association to the Sun. ^[3]

Etymology and cultural significance

The name "Canopus" has two common derivations, both listed in Richard Hinckley Allen's touchstone of stellar mythology, Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning;^[4] which may be a matter of conjecture. Richard Hinckley Allen (1838 Buffalo New York —1908 Northampton Massachusetts) was a gifted Polymath and Amateur naturalist; Star Names Their Lore and Meaning is a book written by Richard Hinckley Allen. One comes from the legend of the Trojan War. In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy stole Helen from her The constellation Carina was once part of the now-obsolete constellation of Argo Navis, which represented the ship used by Jason and the Argonauts. Argo Navis (or simply Argo) was a large southern Constellation representing the Argo, the ship used by Jason and the Argonauts Jason ( Greek: Ἰάσων, Etruscan: Easun, Laz: Yason) was a late ancient Greek mythological The brightest star in the constellation was given the name of a ship's pilot from another Greek legend: Canopus was the pilot of Menelaus' ship on his quest to retrieve Helen of Troy after she was taken by Paris. In Greek Mythology, Canopus (or Canobus) was the pilot of the ship of King Menelaus of Sparta during the Trojan War In Greek mythology, Menelaus ( Ancient Greek:) was a king of Ancient Sparta, the husband of Helen, and a central figure in the This article is about the mythological figure Helen of Troy For other uses see Helen (disambiguation and Helen of Troy (disambiguation. See List of King Priam's children Paris ( Greek:; also known as Alexander or Alexandros, c

The other etymology of the name is that it comes from the Egyptian Coptic Kahi Nub ("Golden Earth"), which refers to the way it would appear near the horizon in Egypt and be correspondingly reddened by atmospheric extinction from that position. Coptic or Coptic Egyptian ( MetRemenkīmi) is the final stage of the Egyptian language, a northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. There is also a ruined ancient Egyptian port, Canopus, apparently specifically named for the star, near the mouth of the Nile; its site was the location of the Battle of the Nile. Canopus (also Canobus) was an Ancient Egyptian coastal town located in the Nile Delta. The Nile (النيل, Ancient Egyptian iteru or Ḥ'pī, Coptic piaro or phiaro) is a major north-flowing River The Battle of the Nile or Aboukir Bay (August 1-2 1798 saw a British fleet under Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson defeat a French (Or it could be that Menelaus's legendary pilot was named after the port, and the port was named the "Golden Floor" because of the many valuable cargoes that passed across its quays and the profits made by merchants there. )

A third possibility is its origin from the semitic root C-N-B (Gimal-Nuun-Beth), which in Arabic is Janub ( جنوب ). The southeastern wall of the Muslim Ka'bah points to Canopus, and is named Janub as well. ^[5]

It is known as 老人星(Lǎorénxīng, the Star of the Old) in Chinese, and سهيل (Suhayl) in Arabic. ^[4]

A fourth, more mundane, possibility is of Latin origin: can (dog) opus (work) or "the doing of the dog" as Canopus lies below Canis Minor (the Little Dog) and Canis Major (the Big Dog) when seen from the northern hemisphere.

In Ancient Hindu astronomy and astrology star Canopus is named as Agasti or Agastiya.

Kalīla o Damna, an influential Pahlavi (Middle Persian) book of animal fables was later known as Anvar-i-Suhaili or The Lights of Canopus. The Panchatantra (also spelled Pañcatantra, in Sanskrit: पञ्चतन्त्र 'Five Principles' or Kalīleh o Demneh Persian literature ( spans two and a half millennia though much of the pre- Islamic material has been lost A fable is a succinct story in prose or verse that features Animals Plants inanimate objects, or forces of nature which are The Panchatantra (also spelled Pañcatantra, in Sanskrit: पञ्चतन्त्र 'Five Principles' or Kalīleh o Demneh

Role in navigation

To anyone living in the northern hemisphere, but far enough south to see the star, it served as a southern pole star. A pole star is a visible star especially a prominent one that is approximately aligned with the Earth 's Axis of rotation; that is a star whose apparent position This lasted only until magnetic compasses became common. A compass, magnetic compass or mariner's compass is a navigational instrument for determining direction relative to the earth's Magnetic poles It consists

In modern times, Canopus serves another navigational use. Canopus' brightness and position away from the orbital plane of our solar system means it is often used by American space probes for navigational purposes, using a special camera known as a "Canopus Star Tracker" in combination with a "Sun Tracker". The attitude of a body is its orientation as perceived in a certain Frame of reference; providing a vector along which a spacecraft is pointing is a description of its attitude

The effects of precession will take Canopus within 10° of the south celestial pole around the year 14,000 AD. Precession refers to a change in the direction of the axis of a rotating object

To the Bedouin people of the Negev and Sinai, Canopus is known as Suhayl. The Negev (נֶגֶב Tiberian vocalization: Néḡeḇ) is the Desert region of southern Israel. The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai ( Coptic: sina; Egyptian Arabic: sina سينا Arabic, sina'a سيناء It and Polaris are the two principal stars used for navigation at night. Due to the fact that it disappears below the horizon, it became associated with a cowardly or changeable nature, as opposed to always-visible Polaris, which was circumpolar and hence 'steadfast'. Polaris (α UMi / α Ursae Minoris / Alpha Ursae Minoris commonly North(ern Star or Pole Star, and sometimes Lodestar ^[6]

Modern references

At the end of the British film Ice Cold in Alex (1958), the principal characters enjoy a cold beer in the Bar Canopus (in Alexandria). Ice-Cold in Alex ( 1958) is a British film based on the novel of the same name by British author Christopher Landon. Alexandria ( Egyptian Arabic: اسكندريه Eskendereyya; Standard Arabic: ar الإسكندرية Al-Iskandariyya; Ἀλεξάνδρεια

In Frank Herbert's Dune universe, the planet Arrakis is the third planet orbiting Canopus. Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr ( October 8 1920 &ndash February 11 1986) was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American In physical Geography, a dune is a Hill of Sand built by Aeolian processes. Arrakis is also an alternative name for the star Mu Draconis.

In the Star Trek universe, Canopus was one of the stars used as a reference point by Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu after the Enterprise had been thrown 500 parsecs by the Metrons. Hikaru Sulu is a fictional character who is portrayed by George Takei in the original Star Trek series the first six Star Trek films and one episode

In the Brazilian Flag, Canopus represents the state of Goiás. The flag of Brazil has a Green field on which a large Yellow Rhombus is centered Goiás (goˈjajs is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country

See also

• Canopus in fiction

References

External links

• Kaler, Jim. Canopus. Stars. Retrieved on 2007-06-06. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year
• Canopus. Alcyone. Retrieved on 2007-06-06. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year
• Darling, David. Canopus (Alpha Carinae). The Encyclopedia of Astrobiology, Astronomy and Space Flight. Retrieved on 2007-06-06. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1508 - Maximilian I Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year
• Star Tales – Carina