Sections

Catalogues

Show the direction and distance to this object on the Galactic Map.

Proper Name	Kaus Australis
Bayer Designation	Epsilon Sagittarii
Flamsteed Number	20 Sagittarii
HR (BSC)	6879
HD	169022
Constellation	Sagittarius
Right Ascension	18h 24m 10s
Declination	-34° 23' 5"
Distance	143 light years 44 parsecs
Magnitude	Apparent: +1.8 Absolute: -1.4
Spectral Class	B9.5III Blue Giant
Optimum Visibility	July
Notes	The blue giant star at the heart of the Kaus Australis system is surrounded by a disc of dust and debris extending outwards from the star for more than 100 AU. The giant's binary companion, a dwarf star, orbits the giant primary within this circumstellar disc.

One of three stars (the others being Kaus Media and Kaus Borealis) that together make up the 'bow' of their home constellation, Sagittarius the Archer. Though designated Epsilon, Kaus Australis is actually the brightest of Sagittarius' stars.

Imagery provided by Aladin sky atlas

Kaus Australis is just under 150 light years from the Solar System. Like all of Sagittarius' stars, it is in the general direction of the Galactic Nucleus.

Its spectral classification shows it to be a giant blue-white star, and a binary: the primary star is fairly bright, with a magnitude of +1.8, while its companion is much fainter at magnitude +14.1.

v2.1g