Tabit is a yellow-white star close to the Sun, a near neighbour that from Earth happens to stand in the bow or shield held out by distant Orion.
At a glance
| type | yellow-white star (class F) |
|---|---|
| distance from the Sun | 26.3 light-years (8.07 pc) |
| its light left it | 26.3 years ago |
| luminosity | 3 × the Sun |
| radius | 1.36 × the Sun |
| surface temperature | 6,510 K |
| constellation | Orion (Hunter) |
Read off the piece’s own catalogue, the same values it draws with.
About Tabit
Tabit is a star much like the Sun, a little larger, a little hotter and a few times brighter, quietly burning hydrogen in its core. It is the brightest of the faint arc of stars that marks the lion’s pelt or shield Orion holds out towards Taurus.
What makes Tabit worth a look is its distance. The great stars of Orion are hot, luminous and far away; Tabit is a modest star that only looks like part of the figure because it is so near. It belongs to the Sun’s own neighbourhood, among the stars close enough that their sunlike nature has been studied in the search for planets and life.
What you see in the piece
Fly towards Orion and Tabit leaves the figure almost at once, passing by while Betelgeuse, Rigel and the belt remain far ahead; it was never with them.
Questions
How far away is Tabit?
Tabit is 26.3 light-years (8.07 pc) from the Sun, far nearer than the bright stars of Orion.
Is Tabit like the Sun?
Tabit is a yellow-white star (class F), slightly hotter than the Sun at 6,510 K and 3 times as luminous.