When is the best time to observe Miaplacidus?

Miaplacidus is best observed from January through March, with peak visibility during February when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is Miaplacidus located in the sky?

Miaplacidus lies in the constellation Carina at right ascension 09h 13m and declination -69° 43′.

What telescope do I need to see Miaplacidus?

At magnitude 1.7, Miaplacidus is visible to the naked eye under most conditions.

Miaplacidus — Star in Carina

Beta Car

Magnitude 1.7^m Star Carina (Car) Visible

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About Miaplacidus

Description

Miaplacidus is the second brightest star in the constellation Carina at magnitude 1.68, located about 111 light-years from Earth. It is a blue-white subgiant of spectral type A1III, about 3.5 times the mass of the Sun and roughly 288 times more luminous. Miaplacidus is in a transitional evolutionary phase, having exhausted the hydrogen in its core and beginning to expand.

Observing Tips

Miaplacidus is a deep southern star, visible only from latitudes south of about 25°N. It sits in the constellation Carina, which was part of the ancient mega-constellation Argo Navis (the Ship). From the Southern Hemisphere, it is a prominent blue-white star. The nearby region of Carina is rich with deep-sky objects including the Carina Nebula (NGC 3372) and the open clusters NGC 2516 and IC 2602 (Southern Pleiades). Best observed from January through May from southern latitudes.

History

The name Miaplacidus has an uncertain etymology — it may be a combination of Arabic and Latin meaning 'placid waters,' fitting its position in the Keel of the ship Argo. It was cataloged by the early southern observers including Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille during his 1751-1752 expedition to the Cape of Good Hope.

Fun Facts

Miaplacidus is the brightest star in the sky with spectral type A2. Its constellation Carina was part of the enormous ancient constellation Argo Navis, which was broken up by Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille in the 1750s into Carina (the Keel), Vela (the Sails), and Puppis (the Stern).