Bellatrix is the hot blue-white star at Orion’s western shoulder, much nearer than the hunter’s other bright stars, its Latin name meaning female warrior.
At a glance
| type | blue-white star (class B) |
|---|---|
| distance from the Sun | 252 light-years (77.4 pc) |
| its light left it | 252 years ago |
| luminosity | 8,070 × the Sun |
| radius | 6.18 × the Sun |
| surface temperature | 22,000 K |
| constellation | Orion (Hunter) |
Read off the piece’s own catalogue, the same values it draws with.
About Bellatrix
Bellatrix is a hot, massive blue-white star, larger than the Sun and enormously brighter, still burning hydrogen. Its strong ultraviolet glare is typical of the hot young stars that make Orion so bright.
It marks Orion’s left shoulder, across from red Betelgeuse at the right. Bellatrix is a Latin word for a female warrior; it has been called the Amazon star. It is one of the stars used for celestial navigation, chosen for its brightness and its place near the celestial equator.
Its distance matters. Bellatrix lies much closer to the Sun than Betelgeuse, Rigel and the belt; it shares their region of the sky but not their place in space.
What you see in the piece
Fly towards Orion and Bellatrix is the first of the figure’s bright stars you reach; the rest of the hunter stays far ahead and the shoulder detaches from the body.
Questions
What does Bellatrix mean?
Bellatrix is Latin for a female warrior; it marks Orion’s left shoulder.
How far away is Bellatrix?
Bellatrix is 252 light-years (77.4 pc) from the Sun, much closer than most of Orion’s bright stars.