Alnitak is a multiple star: Alnitak Aa has a radius which is 20 time the sun's radius.
Alnitak is approximately 817 light years away from Earth.
Alnitak is a very interesting star, because it is not one, but three stars. The main star, Alnitak Aa, with a luminosity 100000 times that of the Sun is orbited at 11 Astronomical Units (roughly the distance at which Saturn orbits the Sun) by Alnitak Ab, with a luminosity of 20000 times that of the Sun. This binary star system is orbited at 680 AUs (roughly the distance of the inner Ort Cloud from the Sun) by Alnitak B, whose luminosity is roughly 10000 times that of the Sun.
it is an apparent magnitude of 1.74
Alnitak is a very interesting star, because it is not one, but three stars. The main star, Alnitak Aa, is a type 09.5 blue supergiant that is orbited at 11 Astronomical Units (roughly the distance at which Saturn orbits the Sun) by a type O blue dwarf that astronomers call Alnitak Ab. This binary star system is orbited at 680 AUs (roughly the distance of the inner Ort Cloud from the Sun) by the bluish-white type B0 Alnitak B.
870 light years peeps
Approximately 700 light-years.
Betelgeuse. Bellatrix. Saiph. Rigel. Alnitak. Alnilam. Mintaka.
Alnitak's name comes from the Arabic phrase al-Nithāq, which means "the girdle" as it is part of the three stars that form Orion's Belt. It is also sometimes referred to as Zeta Orionis in the Bayer designation system.
Alnitak, also known as Zeta Orionis, is a massive blue supergiant star located in the Orion constellation. It has an estimated radius about 20 times greater than that of the Sun and is approximately 100,000 times more luminous. Alnitak is part of a triple star system, with its two companion stars being less massive but still significant in size. Its immense size and brightness make it one of the prominent stars in the night sky.
Each star in the solar system starts out in a nebula, a cloud of dust particles and gas.
The "knee star" in Orion is actually a famous triple star system called Alnitak, located in Orion's Belt. Alnitak is one of the brightest stars in the Orion constellation and is known for its blue color and being part of the distinct three-star pattern that forms Orion's Belt.
It all depends on where you view them from. The apparent magnitude, is defined as being viewed from Earth Betelgeuse: 0.58 - Brighter Zeta Orionis (Alnitak) = 1.70 The absolute magnitude, is defined as being viewed from a distance of 10 parsecs. Betelgeuse: -5.14 Zeta Orionis: -5.25 - Brighter