| Sirius (Alpha Canis Majoris; a CMa) |
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The brightest star in the constellation Canis Major and, at magnitude -1.46, the brightest star in the sky. It is a visual binary with an orbital period of 50 years, the primary (A) being an A star and the secondary (B) an eighth magnitude white dwarf. Sirius B was first detected optically in 1862, and its nature was determined from its spectrum in 1925. Sirius lies at a distance of 8.7 light years and is the seventh-nearest star to the solar system. The name is derived from Greek and means "scorching", a reference to the star's brilliance. Sirius is also known as "the Dog Star", from the constellation in which it lies. See also: Table 3. |