Alpha Lupi — Star in Lupus
About Alpha Lup
Description
Alpha Lupi is a blue giant of spectral type B1.5III at magnitude 2.30, the brightest star in Lupus. Located about 460 light-years from Earth, it has a luminosity of roughly 25,000 times solar. It is a Beta Cephei variable with a pulsation period of about 6.2 hours and is also a suspected spectroscopic binary.
Observing Tips
Alpha Lup lies in the heart of Lupus, between the Southern Cross region and Scorpius. It is a bright blue-white star in a rich part of the southern Milky Way. Only visible from the southern hemisphere and low northern latitudes. Best observed May through July.
History
Alpha Lupi has no traditional proper name. Lupus is an ancient constellation known since Babylonian times, though it was originally depicted as a generic wild animal rather than specifically a wolf. The wolf identification became standard in medieval European astronomy.
Fun Facts
Alpha Lupi's rapid pulsations provide a natural laboratory for studying stellar interiors — as a Beta Cephei variable, its oscillations probe the conditions deep inside the star where nuclear fusion occurs.
Observe
1Physical Properties
2Position & Identifiers
3How easy to spot?
| Equipment | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naked eye Naked eye | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| 50 mm finder 50mm finder | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| 150 mm telescope 150mm scope | Easy | Easy | Easy |
Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs
4Visibility
Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.
5Survey Image
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Explore
7
Size Comparison
8
Compare Stars
9
Spectral Classification
10
Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
11
Stellar Lifecycle
12
Blackbody Spectrum
13
Stellar Absorption Spectrum
Simulated absorption spectrum based on spectral type. Hover over lines to identify elements.
14
Stellar Fusion
Discover
15Stellar Notes
16
Light Travel Time Machine
17
Relativistic Travel
Nearby in the Sky
Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.
Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.
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