Gamma Pyxidis
Encyclopedia
Gamma Pyxidis is a 4th magnitude
star in the constellation
Pyxis
. It is classified as a giant star
of composition similar to the Sun, and is located an estimated 209 light years from the Solar System
.
Apparent magnitude
The apparent magnitude of a celestial body is a measure of its brightness as seen by an observer on Earth, adjusted to the value it would have in the absence of the atmosphere...
star in the constellation
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
Pyxis
Pyxis
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass...
. It is classified as a giant star
Giant star
A giant star is a star with substantially larger radius and luminosity than a main sequence star of the same surface temperature. Typically, giant stars have radii between 10 and 100 solar radii and luminosities between 10 and 1,000 times that of the Sun. Stars still more luminous than giants are...
of composition similar to the Sun, and is located an estimated 209 light years from the Solar System
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
.