Kaus Borealis is an orange star at the northern end of the Archer’s bow, the top of the Teapot’s lid, lying close to the path of the Sun and planets.
At a glance
| type | orange star (class K) |
|---|---|
| distance from the Sun | 78.2 light-years (24 pc) |
| its light left it | 78.2 years ago |
| luminosity | 49.3 × the Sun |
| radius | 9.4 × the Sun |
| surface temperature | 4,990 K |
| constellation | Sagittarius (Archer) |
Read off the piece’s own catalogue, the same values it draws with.
About Kaus Borealis
Kaus Borealis, Lambda Sagittarii, is an orange star of class K, larger and more luminous than the Sun, with a cooler surface. It is one of the nearer stars of the Archer.
Its name joins the Arabic for bow with the Latin for northern. It lies almost on the ecliptic, the Sun’s yearly path, so the Moon and sometimes a planet pass in front of it and hide it for a while.
What you see in the piece
It sits much nearer than the stars around it in the figure, so it comes towards you as the Teapot breaks apart.
Questions
What does Kaus Borealis mean?
The northern part of the bow, from the Arabic for bow and the Latin for northern.
How far away is Kaus Borealis?
Kaus Borealis is 78.2 light-years (24 pc) from the Sun.