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Proper NameNone
Bayer Designationb Orionis
Flamsteed Number51 Orionis
HR (BSC)1963
HD37984
ConstellationOrion
Right Ascension5h 42m 29s
Declination+1° 28' 29"
Distance306 light years
94 parsecs
MagnitudeApparent: +4.90
Absolute: +0.04
Spectral ClassK1III orange giant
Optimum VisibilityDecember / January

Imagery provided by Aladin sky atlas

A faint orange star in the central regions of Orion, b Orionis lies slightly to the north of Orion's Belt - specifically northward of Alnitak, the easternmost of the three stars that make up the Belt. Since b Orionis is far fainter than the three Belt stars, it might be natural to imagine that it is farther from Earth than those stars. In fact, it is some three hundred light years away from the Sun, making it much closer at only about a third of the distance. Though a giant in its own right, it is outshone by the highly luminous supergiants that make up the Belt.

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