Arcturus
star · Boötes · -0.1ᵐ
An orange giant and the brightest star in the northern sky. It races across the Galaxy noticeably faster than its neighbours.
Notable facts
About 263 times brighter than the faintest star visible to the naked eye.
In brief
Which constellation is Arcturus in?
Arcturus lies in Boötes.
Is Arcturus visible to the naked eye?
-0.1ᵐ — visible to the naked eye (under dark skies).
When is the best time to observe Arcturus?
Best observed in April.
Data
- RA / Dec (J2000)
- 14h 16m · +19° 11′
- Type
- star
- Constellation
- Boötes
- How to observe
- -0.1ᵐ — visible to the naked eye (under dark skies)
- Spectral class
- K2IIIp — orange star
- Absolute magnitude
- -0.3ᵐ
- Luminosity
- ≈114 × the Sun
- Distance
- ~37 light years
- Designation
- HIP 69673
Observing tip
Stars stay points at any magnification: aim your telescope for colour, brightness and companions, not detail.
Altitude above the horizon by latitude
| Latitude | Maximum altitude | Rise azimuth |
|---|---|---|
| +60° | 49° | 49° |
| +55° | 54° | 55° |
| +45° | 64° | 62° |
| +30° | 79° | 68° |
| 0° | 71° | 71° |
| −35° | 36° | 66° |
Geometric altitude at upper culmination, atmospheric refraction not included. Positive latitudes are in the northern hemisphere.
Culmination time by month
| Month | Culmination |
|---|---|
| January | 06:30 |
| February | 04:23 |
| March | 02:38 |
| April | 00:44 |
| May | 22:50 |
| June | 20:44 |
| July | 18:40 |
| August | 16:39 |
| September | 14:46 |
| October | 12:57 |
| November | 10:56 |
| December | 08:48 |
Upper culmination in local solar time — no time-zone or daylight-saving correction applied.