Kaus Australis is the brightest star of Sagittarius, a blue-white star at the southern end of the Archer’s bow and the base of the Teapot.
At a glance
| type | blue-white star (class B) |
|---|---|
| distance from the Sun | 143 light-years (43.9 pc) |
| its light left it | 143 years ago |
| luminosity | 443 × the Sun |
| radius | 6.75 × the Sun |
| surface temperature | 10,200 K |
| constellation | Sagittarius (Archer) |
Read off the piece’s own catalogue, the same values it draws with.
About Kaus Australis
Kaus Australis, Epsilon Sagittarii, is a hot class B star, far more luminous than the Sun. It outshines every other star of Sagittarius, though its Greek letter does not say so.
Its name joins the Arabic for bow with the Latin for southern: it is the lower end of the Archer’s bow. In the Teapot it marks the bottom corner, below Kaus Media.
What you see in the piece
It is fairly near the Sun, so in the piece it keeps its brightness well as you fly out, while the more distant stars of the bow fade.
Questions
What is the brightest star in Sagittarius?
Kaus Australis, Epsilon Sagittarii, a blue-white star 143 light-years (43.9 pc) from the Sun.
What does Kaus Australis mean?
The southern part of the bow, from the Arabic for bow and the Latin for southern.