Arcturus
| Arcturus | |
|---|---|
| File:Arcturus.jpg | |
| Information | |
| Number | 34 |
| Level | ?????? |
| Spectral Class | ?????? |
| Catalogue ID | ?????? |
| Temperature | ?????? |
| Mass | ?????? |
| Radius | ?????? |
| Magnitude | ?????? |
| Planets # | ?????? |
| Moons # | ?????? |
| Planets | ?????? |
| Moons | ?????? |
| Description | ?????? |
| Points of Interest | ?????? |
| Notable Resources | ?????? |
| Exists IRL | Yes |
| Patch | 1.0 |
Arcturus is a level ?????? Star System with ?????? Planets and ?????? Moons.
Planets and Moons
Description
Additional Information
Real Life Information
Introduction
Arcturus, also known as Alpha Boötis, is the brightest star in the constellation of Boötes, the herdsman, and the fourth brightest star in the night sky. It is a red giant star located in the Northern Hemisphere and is easily visible from Earth. Arcturus is notable for its high proper motion, its brightness, and its location in the sky near the celestial equator, which makes it visible from most of the Earth's surface.
Physical Properties
Arcturus is an evolved red giant star with a spectral type of K0 III. It has exhausted the hydrogen fuel in its core and has moved off the main sequence. The star is currently in the helium-burning phase of its life cycle. It has a radius that is approximately 25 times that of the Sun and a mass that is roughly 1.1 times that of the Sun.
Arcturus is a relatively cool star, with a surface temperature of about 4,290 Kelvin, which is much cooler than the Sun's surface temperature of about 5,500 Kelvin. This cooler temperature gives Arcturus its distinctive orange-red color.
Arcturus is also a relatively nearby star, at a distance of about 36.7 light-years from Earth. This makes it one of the closest red giant stars to our solar system.
Observation and Visibility
Arcturus is one of the most easily visible stars in the night sky due to its brightness and its location near the celestial equator. It can be found by following the arc of the Big Dipper's handle. This method of locating Arcturus is the origin of the phrase "arc to Arcturus".
Arcturus is best seen in the spring and early summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and in the autumn and early winter in the Southern Hemisphere. It is visible from most locations on Earth, except for the extreme polar regions.
Historical Significance
Arcturus has been known to astronomers since ancient times. It was one of the first stars to have its distance measured by the method of parallax, and its high proper motion was noted by Edmund Halley in 1718.
The star has also played a significant role in various cultures throughout history. For example, in ancient Greece, Arcturus was associated with the mythology of Boötes, the herdsman, who was said to have invented the plow and was placed in the sky as a reward. In China, Arcturus was known as the "Great Horn" and was one of the most important stars in their celestial mythology.