The Sirius Star is actually a binary star system. Sirius A is the visible larger star, and Sirius B is a very dense, much smaller white dwarf star. The Sirius star or dog-star is one of the brightest in the night sky. Today modern astronomers have revealed why the Sirius Star appears as it does.
Sirius, also known as the Dog Star, α Canis Majoris (Alpha Canis Majoris), or Canicula, is the brightest star in the night sky. It lies at a distance of 8.60 light years (2.64 parsecs) from Earth, in the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog.
How do you find the Sirius constellation?
The easiest way to locate Sirius in the night sky is by using the stars of the Orion’s Belt as pointers. The three bright belt stars – Alnilam, Alnitak, and Mintaka, point downward to Sirius to the left. Sirius is about 8 times as far from the Orion’s Belt as the belt is wide.
Why is Sirius called the Great Bird constellation?
Ancient Polynesians considered Sirius to be part of Manu, a “Great Bird” constellation. The bright stars Canopus and Procyon represented the bird’s southern and northern wingtips. The Manu constellation divided the night sky into two hemispheres.
What does Sirius mean in Greek?
Sirius (/ ˈsɪriəs /) is the brightest star in the night sky. Its name is derived from the Greek word Σείριος (Seirios, lit. ‘glowing‘ or ‘scorching’). The star is designated α Canis Majoris, Latinized to Alpha Canis Majoris, and abbreviated Alpha CMa or α CMa.
How far away is Sirius from the Earth?
The star system lies at a distance of 8.6 ly from Earth in the constellation Canis Major. Sirius, Alpha Canis Majoris (α CMa), is the brightest star in the sky. The star system lies at a distance of 8.6 ly from Earth in the constellation Canis Major.