Antares:
The Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) has filmed the passing of the moon in front of Antares, a bright red star.
- Antares, also known as Alpha Scorpii, is the alpha, or brightest, star in the constellation Scorpius, and the 15th-brightest star in the whole night sky.
- It is a massive red supergiant star. It is 10,000 times brighter than our sun.
- It is one of the largest known stars, 700 times the sun’s diameter, large enough to engulf the orbit of Mars if the solar system were centered on it.
- Despite its size, the overall density of Antares is less than one-millionth that of the sun.
- Antares is also relatively cool as stars go. Its surface temperature is about 6,100 degrees F (3,400 degrees C).
- That’s in contrast to our sun’s surface temperature of about 10,000 degrees F (5,500 degrees C).
- The star’s low temperature accounts for its ruddy color.
