Mirzam

HR 2294 · HIP 30324 · β CMa

👁️ Naked-eye

📋 A written introduction is coming — for now this page shows official values only.

Star

Apparent magnitude: 1.97 mag
Parallax: 6.62 mas → about 492.7 light-years away
Spectral type: B1II/III
Right ascension: 95.6749°
Declination: -17.9559°
Designation: HR 2294
Bayer designation: β CMa
HIP number: 30324
IAU name adopted: 2016-07-20
Name language: Arabic
Name origin (IAU): Applied in recent times from its Arabic name al-mirzam, of unknown meaning. The Arabs also gave the name to β CMi, and sometimes to γ Ori. Each al-mirzam star preceded the rising of a brighter star (our Sirius, Procyon, and Betelgeuse, respectively), which probably connects to the unknown meaning.

Constellation

Light from this object takes about 493 years to reach Earth — the light you see tonight left around AD 1533 (official distance ÷ speed of light).
At magnitude 2 it is bright enough for the naked eye (limit about 6) — look from somewhere dark.
Declination -18° — it rises above the horizon in Seoul (37.6° N), so it is visible from Korea in the right season.

Worked out from this object's official values.