Bright stars · Orion

Rigel

Beta Orionis

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Details

Magnitude

0.12

Spectral type

B8Iab

Bayer

Beta Orionis

Distance

863 ly

A brilliant blue supergiant marking Orion's foot.

Beginner

What is it?

Rigel is one of the most intrinsically luminous stars visible from Earth — roughly 120,000 times the Sun's brightness. It lies about 860 light-years away.

What will I see?

Naked eye

A bright blue-white star in Orion, opposite the orange Betelgeuse. The colour contrast is a highlight of the winter sky.

Small telescope

Reveals a very faint companion star (Rigel B) close to the brilliant primary — a well-known but challenging pair.

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

Observing tips

Rigel and Betelgeuse together illustrate why star colours mean different temperatures.

Interesting facts

About 860 light-years away.
One of the most intrinsically luminous stars visible unaided.