Alkes is an orange giant at the base of Crater, the Cup, its name taken from the Arabic for a cup, though it is not the brightest star of the figure.
At a glance
| type | orange giant (class K) |
|---|---|
| distance from the Sun | 159 light-years (48.8 pc) |
| its light left it | 159 years ago |
| luminosity | 64.1 × the Sun |
| radius | 10.7 × the Sun |
| surface temperature | 4,990 K |
| constellation | Crater (Cup) |
Read off the piece’s own catalogue, the same values it draws with.
About Alkes
The facts describe an evolved giant, larger and more luminous than the Sun and cooler at its surface, so it shines orange.
Crater is a small, faint constellation resting on the back of Hydra, drawn as a goblet. Alkes marks the foot of the cup and carries the letter alpha, but another star of the figure outshines it.
What you see in the piece
In the piece Alkes sits at its true distance; the Cup only holds its shape from the Earth, and from space its stars separate in depth.
Questions
What does Alkes mean?
It comes from the Arabic for a cup, the figure of Crater, in which it marks the base.