Antares

Antares

(an-tair -eez) (α Sco) A huge remote but conspicuous red supergiant that is the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius. It is in an advanced stage of evolution. It is a visual binary (separation 3″, period 900 years), its 5th-magnitude B-type companion appearing green by contrast. The companion orbits inside the cool stellar wind and is a peculiar hot radio source. m_v : 0.96 (var.); M_v : –5.2; spectral type: M1.5 Iab; diameter: about 285 times solar diameter; distance: 160 pc.

Collins Dictionary of Astronomy © Market House Books Ltd, 2006

Antares

[an′tar·ēz]

(astronomy)

A red supergiant variable binary star of stellar magnitude 0.9, 520 light-years from the sun, spectral classification M1-Ib, in the constellation Scorpius; the star α Scorpii.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.