Kappa Scorpii — Star in Scorpius
About Kappa Sco
Description
Kappa Scorpii is a blue giant of spectral type B1.5III at magnitude 2.41 in Scorpius. Located about 480 light-years from Earth, it has a luminosity of roughly 12,000 times solar. It is a Beta Cephei variable and a spectroscopic binary. Kappa Sco sits in the tail of the Scorpion, between the body and the stinger.
Observing Tips
Kappa Sco lies in the curve of the Scorpion's tail, below and right of Antares. It is a blue-white star in a richly populated section of the Milky Way. Best observed June through August when Scorpius is prominent in the southern evening sky.
History
Kappa Scorpii has no widely used traditional name. It is a member of the Upper Scorpius subgroup of the Scorpius-Centaurus OB association, sharing a common origin with many other bright blue stars in the Scorpion region.
Fun Facts
Kappa Sco is one of several bright Beta Cephei variables in Scorpius — an unusually high concentration of this type of pulsating star in one constellation, due to the Scorpius-Centaurus association's population of massive blue stars.
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
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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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