- Stars with a name
- Vega
Vega
α Lyrae
Vega is a white star, in the constellation Lyra. The light you see from it tonight left it around 2001.
Where to find it
From mid-northern latitudes, such as New York, Rome or Tokyo, it is best seen in the evening sky in May, June, July, August, September, and October.
Bright enough to see even from a city. Apparent magnitude 0.03.
What it’s like
It gives off 50 times as much light as the Sun.
Its surface is at about 10,100 degrees.
It is 25.0 light years away: 237 trillion kilometres.
It is the star of people born around 2001: the light that left it then is reaching Earth now.