Stars · Bright giant

Canopus

310 light-years · Light crosses it in 5.5 minutes

Across

98.8 million km

Vs Earth

71× Sun

Mass

8 Suns

Open Canopus in Cosmic Scale

About

Canopus is the second-brightest star in the night sky and a favourite of spacecraft: its brightness and position make it an excellent reference point for navigation far from Earth.

The second-brightest star in the night sky.

At a glance

Distance	310 light-years
Surface	7,400 K
Brightness	10,700 Suns
Type	Bright giant

Did you know

1. Many spacecraft have carried a 'Canopus star tracker' to work out which way they are pointing.
2. It is too far south to be seen from most of Europe and the northern United States.
3. It is burning helium in its core, a late and fairly brief stage of a big star's life.