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Difference between revisions of "Sirius"
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==Characteristics== | ==Characteristics== | ||
Sirius appears bright because of its intrinsic luminosity and its proximity to the Solar System. | Sirius appears bright because of its intrinsic luminosity and its proximity to the Solar System. | ||
The Sirius system is one of [[Earth]]'s nearest neighbours at a distance of 8.611 light years. However, Sirius is gradually moving closer to the Solar System, so it is expected to increase in brightness slightly over the next 60,000 years. After that time, its distance will begin to increase, and it will become fainter, but it will continue to be the brightest star in the Earth's night sky for approximately the next 210,000 years. | |||
Sirius A is about twice as massive as the [[Sun]] and has an absolute visual magnitude of +1.42. It is 25 times as luminous as the Sun, but has a significantly lower luminosity than other bright stars such as Canopus or Rigel. The system is between 200 and 300 million years old. It was originally composed of two bright bluish stars. The more massive of these, Sirius B, consumed its resources and became a red giant before shedding its outer layers and collapsing into its current state as a white dwarf around 120 million years ago. | Sirius A is about twice as massive as the [[Sun]] and has an absolute visual magnitude of +1.42. It is 25 times as luminous as the Sun, but has a significantly lower luminosity than other bright stars such as Canopus or Rigel. The system is between 200 and 300 million years old. It was originally composed of two bright bluish stars. The more massive of these, Sirius B, consumed its resources and became a red giant before shedding its outer layers and collapsing into its current state as a white dwarf around 120 million years ago. | ||