Achernar
Product information
Description
Achernar radiates a brilliant blue-white light and is best seen from southern latitudes. Its rapid spin causes it to appear oblate — wider at the equator than at the poles — a striking feature that distinguishes it among the bright stars of the night sky.
Additional Information
- Constellation
- Eridanus
- Spectral Type
- B6Vep
- Apparent Magnitude
- 0.46
- Distance (Light Years)
- 139
- Right Ascension
- 01h 37m 42.8s
- Declination
- −57° 14′ 12″
- Solar Masses
- 6.7
- Radius (Solar)
- 9.3
- Temperature (Kelvin)
- 15000
- Age (Million Years)
- 37
Discovery
- Ancient Civilizations
- Greeks, Arabs
- Historical Significance
- Achernar, the brightest star in the constellation Eridanus, has been recognized since ancient times. It served as a celestial marker in star lore and was important in early Southern Hemisphere navigation.
Cultural Significance
- Mythology
- The name 'Achernar' comes from Arabic, meaning 'End of the River,' fitting its placement at the southern end of the Eridanus constellation. In ancient Greek and Babylonian traditions, Eridanus represented a celestial river.
- Navigation
- Due to its southern location and brightness, Achernar has long been used as a navigational aid in the Southern Hemisphere, especially by maritime cultures.
- Modern Reference
- Achernar appears in numerous star atlases, astronomy apps, and is frequently studied for its extreme rotational properties and shape distortion.
Notable Features
- Stellar Motion
- Achernar shows noticeable proper motion, and it rotates so rapidly that its equatorial diameter is significantly greater than its polar diameter.
- Additional Fact
- Achernar is one of the flattest known stars due to its extreme rotation, spinning at nearly its breakup speed. It has a companion star in a binary system.
User Dedications
- Dedications