Key Information
Achernar
| Type | Star (binary) |
| Diameter | 2,930,994 to 3,959,868 miles (A), Unknown (B) |
| Distance | 193 light years |
| Orbit Time | 14 to 15 years |
| Length of Day | 46 hours (A) |
| Temperature | 22,351 to 30,363 °F (A), Unknown (B) |
| Star Types | B6 Vep (A), A1V-A3V (B) |
| Variable Type | Be |
| Date of Discovery | Unknown |
Learning Point
- Achernar is a binary star, with the main star in the system being a B type star, which varies in its brightness. It is also the star that is least like a sphere in our Milky Way, being squashed flat by the great speed with which it rotates.
Project
- Create a diagram of the various star types and colors in order of coolest to hottest.
- Overview
- Star System
Location
| Located in | Eridanus constellation, within the Milky Way |
Fun Facts
- The name Achernar comes from Arabic, meaning “end of the river“, as the constellation Eridanus is seen as a river in the sky.
- Achernar is one of the top ten brightest stars in the night sky, however it cannot be seen from places futher north on our planet.
- It is 3,000 times brighter (more luminous) than our sun.
- The speed of the stars spin is about 185 miles per second, which means it looks squashed.
- Its diameter around the equator is 35% wider than around the poles because of the great speed of its spin.
Past Lessons
| 42 | April 24, 2023 | (North America) |