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Chi Carinae — Star in Carina

Magnitude 3.5m Star Carina (Car) Visible
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1Physical Properties

Magnitude 3.47
Variable Type Beta Cephei (Pulsating)
Spectral Type B3IV subgiant
Star Color Blue (B-V -0.18)
Distance 453 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 07h 56m 46.7s
Dec -52° 58' 56.0"
Constellation Carina (Car)
HR 3117
HIP 38827
HD 65575
SAO 235635
Bayer Chi
Variable ID Chi Car
SIMBAD

3How easy to spot?

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Equipment Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
Naked eye Easy Easy Medium+
50mm finder Easy Easy Easy
150mm scope Easy Easy Easy
Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs

4Visibility

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Best season Dec – Feb (peak: Jan)

5Survey Image

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Explore

7

Size Comparison

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8

Compare Stars

9

Spectral Classification

10

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

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Read: The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram — Reading Stars Like a Map
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

Beta C, amp. 0.015V, 0.101d.
Sco-Cen assoc.
SiII strong for the spectral type.
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.

NGC 2502
Medium
Bright spiral galaxy
Galaxy mag 11.96 0.7° Carina
V Pup
Medium
Eclipsing binary, period 1.5d
Variable Star mag 4.41 3.7° Puppis
NGC 2547
Easy
Rich open cluster
Open Cluster mag 4.7 4.3° Vela
Gamma Vel
HIP 39953; Gamma1 Velorum
Easy
Easy double, sep 60.9″
Double Star mag 4.27 6.0° Vela
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