- Stars with a name
- Altair
Altair
α Aquilae
Altair is a white star, in the constellation Aquila. The light you see from it tonight left it around 2009.
Where to find it
From mid-northern latitudes, such as New York, Rome or Tokyo, it is best seen in the evening sky in June, July, August, September, and October.
Bright enough to see even from a city. Apparent magnitude 0.76.
What it’s like
It gives off 11 times as much light as the Sun.
Its surface temperature is about 7,700 degrees Celsius.
It is 16.7 light years away: 158 trillion kilometres.
It is the star of people born around 2009: the light that left it then is reaching Earth now.