Chertan is a white star on the hip of Leo, one corner of the triangle of stars that marks the lion’s hindquarters with Zosma and Denebola.
At a glance
| type | white star (class A) |
|---|---|
| distance from the Sun | 165 light-years (50.6 pc) |
| its light left it | 165 years ago |
| luminosity | 119 × the Sun |
| radius | 4.5 × the Sun |
| surface temperature | 8,990 K |
| constellation | Leo (Lion) |
Read off the piece’s own catalogue, the same values it draws with.
About Chertan
The card describes a white star, larger and more luminous than the Sun, nearing the end of the hydrogen-burning stage of its life.
It sits at the southern corner of the triangle that draws the lion’s rear, with Zosma above it and Denebola to the east at the tip of the tail. The Sickle and Regulus lie to the west.
What you see in the piece
In the piece Chertan lies much further away than Zosma, though they look like close neighbours from the Earth.
Questions
Where is Chertan in Leo?
It marks the lion’s hip, at the southern corner of the triangle formed with Zosma and Denebola.