What is the Bayer designation for Canopus?
Q: What is the Bayer designation for Canopus?
A: The Bayer designation for Canopus is Alpha Carinae.
Q: How far away from Earth is Canopus?
A: Canopus lies 310 light years (96 parsecs) from our solar system.
Q: Why was it difficult to measure the distance of Canopus before the 1990s?
A: It was difficult to measure the distance of Canopus before the 1990s because it was a "less luminous supergiant" and such stars are rare and poorly understood. This made it difficult to know how intrinsically bright Canopus is, and therefore how far away it might be. Direct measurement was the only way to solve the problem.
Q: How many times more luminous than the Sun is Canopus?
A: Canopus is 13,600 times more luminous than the Sun.
Q: What would be its apparent magnitude if placed at 1 astronomical unit from Earth?
A: If placed at 1 astronomical unit from Earth, its apparent magnitude would be -37.
Q: What temperature does its surface have?
A: The surface temperature of Canopus has been measured at 7350 ± 30 K.
Q: To which association does it belong?
A:Canopus belongs to Scorpius-Centaurus Association, a group of stars which share similar origins.
