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The star Sirius is not a planet or even a single star but is in fact a binary star, or two stars that orbit each other. Together, these two stars are often called The Dog Star, as they are the brightest object in the constellation Canis Major - or The Big Dog.
The stars, named Sirius A and Sirius B, orbit each other about 20 Astronomical Units (the distance from the Sun to the planet Uranus) that takes about 50 years to complete on orbit. Right now, they appear to be moving away from each other and will reach their maximum separation on the year 2019.
At a distance of roughly 8.6 light years, the Sirius binary star system is actually relatively close to us. Sirius A (the larger of the two binary stars) is also extraordinarily bright, about 25 time brighter than our sun. These two factors make Sirius one of the top ten brightest stars in our night sky.
While Sirius A is very large and bright, Sirius B (the smaller of the two binary stars) is significantly smaller than it's companion - about the size of our Earth. But even at it's small size, Sirius B still has nearly the same mass as our Sun. That much mass in such a tiny space means more surface gravity (about twice that of Sirius A) and more heat (about 2.5 times that of Sirius A). Just because it's small, doesn't mean it's not awesome.
Sirius is considered a wintertime star, usually only seen between the months of December and March. It is part of the Winter Triangle asterism along with Betelgeuse and Procyon. So if you're in the Northern Hemisphere and the weather begins to turn cold, take a look into the southern night sky and find Sirius, The Dog Star!
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoSirius is a binary star system.
The main star is "Sirius A". It's usually just called Sirius.
Sirius A has a white dwarf companion called "Sirius B".
Sirius B is too faint to be seen without a telescope.
So, the closest star to the star we call Sirius, is Sirius B.
If you consider that binary system as basically "one star", then the nearest bright star to Sirius is Procyon.
There are a few other stars near to Sirius, but they can't be seen with
the "naked eye".
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoNo. Sirius, which includes both Sirius A and Sirius B is the Dog Star. Sirius was called the Dog Star long before it was known to be a binary system. The vast majority of the light from Sirius actually comes from Sirius A. Sirius B on its own is too dim to be seen from Earth without a telescope.
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoSirius happens to be the brightest star in our night time sky, but it is not the largest. It is at the right distance from us to appear as brightly as it does.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoSirius has been called the dog star because it is in the constellation Canis Major.
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How many moons does Sirius have?
Sirius is a star (actually, a binary star), so none, as stars do not have moons. Either or both of the stars that comprise Sirius could theoretically have planets which have moons, but if so, we don't know about them yet.
Most brilliant body in the sky?
The brightest visible objects are: -- the sun -- the moon -- the planet Venus -- the planet Jupiter -- the planet Saturn -- the planet Mars -- the star Sirius
What star is brighter than Sirius?
Observed from Earth there are no brighter stars at the night sky. If you see something that is brighter, it will be a planet.
Which star is called the dog star?
the dog star is called sirius and is located south west of Orion belts in the southern hemisphere
Is Sirius also called the North Star?
No. The North Star is Polaris. Sirius is known as the Dog Star.
When was the planet Sirius found?
there's a star named Sirius, but no planet .... sorry
Is Sirius A an Earth-like star?
No. There is no such thing as an "earth-like star" as Earth is a planet, not a star. Sirius A is a star that is larger and brighter than the sun.
How many moons does Sirius have?
Sirius is a star (actually, a binary star), so none, as stars do not have moons. Either or both of the stars that comprise Sirius could theoretically have planets which have moons, but if so, we don't know about them yet.
Most brilliant body in the sky?
The brightest visible objects are: -- the sun -- the moon -- the planet Venus -- the planet Jupiter -- the planet Saturn -- the planet Mars -- the star Sirius
What star is brighter than Sirius?
Observed from Earth there are no brighter stars at the night sky. If you see something that is brighter, it will be a planet.
Is the Sirius star extremely hot?
Yes - Sirius is a blue-white star - the hottest type of star there is.
Which star is called the dog star?
the dog star is called sirius and is located south west of Orion belts in the southern hemisphere
How far apart are Sirius A and Sirius B?
Sirius is a binary star system Sirius A and Sirius B.The distance separating Sirius A from B varies between 8.1 and 31.5 AU. (See related question).
Is Sirius also called the North Star?
No. The North Star is Polaris. Sirius is known as the Dog Star.
Is a sirius star bigger than a barnard star?
Yes, Sirius is quite big while Barnard's star is small.
Is 'Sirius C' real or not?
It is not real. Sirius is a two-star system containing only Sirius A and Sirius B.
Is Sirius the largest star?
No. Sirius is the brightest star in Earth's night sky, but how bright a star appears is a product of its actual brightness and its distance from us. Sirius itself is actually two stars with Sirius A emitting the vast majority of the system's light. Sirius A is a fairly large star, but others are much larger.
