- 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 is at about 8,000 degrees.
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.