What is Sirius?
Q: What is Sirius?
A: Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky.
Q: Where is Sirius located?
A: Sirius is located in Canis Major, near Orion.
Q: What is the magnitude of Sirius?
A: The apparent magnitude of Sirius is −1.46.
Q: How old is the Sirius system?
A: The Sirius system is between 200 and 300 million years old.
Q: Why does Sirius appear bright?
A: Sirius appears bright because of its intrinsic luminosity and its position (it is relatively close to Earth).
Q: What did the Egyptians call Sirius?
A: The Egyptians called Sirius 'Sopdet' and relied on it to predict when the flood season would start.
Q: Why is Sirius sometimes called the Dog Star?
A: Sirius is sometimes called the Dog Star because it is located in the constellation Canis Major, which means 'Greater Dog' in Latin. The phrase the dog days of summer means the hottest days of summer.
