When is the best time to observe Alpha Pictoris?

Alpha Pictoris is best observed from November through January, with peak visibility during December when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is Alpha Pictoris located in the sky?

Alpha Pictoris lies in the constellation Pictor at right ascension 06h 48m and declination -61° 56′.

What telescope do I need to see Alpha Pictoris?

At magnitude 3.3, Alpha Pictoris is visible to the naked eye from dark skies, easy in any binoculars.

Alpha Pictoris — Star in Pictor

Magnitude 3.3^m Star Pictor (Pic) Visible

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About Alpha Pic

Description

Alpha Pictoris is a white star of spectral type A8VnkA6 at magnitude 3.27, the brightest star in the faint southern constellation Pictor (the Painter's Easel). Located about 97 light-years from Earth, it has a surface temperature of about 7,500 K and a luminosity roughly 18 times solar. It is a rapidly rotating star.

Observing Tips

Alpha Pic lies in the small, faint constellation Pictor, between Canopus and the Large Magellanic Cloud. It is the only star brighter than 4th magnitude in the entire constellation, making it easy to identify by elimination. Only visible from the southern hemisphere and very low northern latitudes. Best observed from December through March.

History

Pictor was created by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 1750s during his survey of the southern skies from the Cape of Good Hope. The full name was originally 'Equuleus Pictoris' (the Painter's Easel). Alpha Pictoris has no traditional proper name, as the constellation postdates classical astronomy.

Fun Facts

Pictor's most famous star is actually Beta Pictoris — not Alpha — because Beta Pic was the first star discovered to have a visible debris disk, photographed in 1984. It became the prototype for understanding planetary system formation. Alpha Pic gets far less attention despite being the constellation's brightest star.