When is the best time to observe Wezen?

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

Where is Wezen located in the sky?

Wezen lies in the constellation Canis Major at right ascension 07h 08m and declination -26° 24′.

What telescope do I need to see Wezen?

At magnitude 1.8, Wezen is visible to the naked eye under most conditions.

Wezen — Star in Canis Major

HIP 34444; Delta Canis Majoris; 25 Canis Majoris

Magnitude 1.8^m Star Canis Major (CMa) Visible

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About Wezen

Description

Wezen is a yellow-white supergiant of spectral type F8Ia at magnitude 1.84 in Canis Major. Located about 1,600 light-years from Earth, it is one of the most luminous stars visible to the naked eye with roughly 50,000 times the Sun's luminosity. Despite appearing dimmer than nearby Sirius, Wezen is intrinsically thousands of times more luminous.

Observing Tips

Wezen lies in the body of Canis Major, southeast of Sirius. It appears as a warm yellowish-white star among the blue-white companions of the constellation. Best observed January through March. It forms the southeastern corner of the small triangle of stars in the Dog's body.

History

The name Wezen comes from the Arabic 'al-wazn,' meaning 'the weight.' Wezen is a massive star in a brief evolutionary stage, having exhausted its core hydrogen and expanded into a supergiant. In a few hundred thousand years it will likely expand further into a red supergiant before ending its life as a supernova.

Fun Facts

Wezen is one of the most luminous F-type supergiants known. It has already fused its core hydrogen and is evolving rapidly toward a red supergiant phase. If placed at Sirius's distance, Wezen would outshine Venus.