Bright stars · Scorpius

Antares

Alpha Scorpii

Find in Sky

Details

Magnitude

1.09

Spectral type

M1.5Iab

Bayer

Alpha Scorpii

Distance

550 ly

A red supergiant marking the heart of Scorpius — its name means 'rival of Mars'.

Beginner

What is it?

Antares is a red supergiant, roughly 700 times the Sun's diameter and 550 light-years away. Its colour is a striking deep orange-red that sometimes rivals Mars in appearance.

What will I see?

Naked eye

A distinctly orange-red bright star at the heart of Scorpius, low on the horizon for northern observers in summer.

Reference imagery from long-exposure photography usually shows far more colour and structure than the human eye can see through a telescope.

Interesting facts

About 550 light-years away.
One of the largest stars visible to the naked eye.
Best observed from the southern hemisphere or southern parts of the north.