This image shows the change in position of the double star 61 Cygni. Compare the position of 61 Cygni to the background stars.
61 Cygni A & B
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What's in a Name: | Double Star designated 61 in Cygnus the Swan
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Claim to Fame: | Some of the closest stars to the sun(13th closest). Moving very rapidly through space as seen from Earth at a rate of ~45,000 miles per hour (72,000 km/hr)
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Type of Star: | Orange-red Main Sequence (Spectral Class K3.5 and K4)
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How Far Away: | 11.3 light years
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How Big: | 1/2 and 2.4 times the sun's radius
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How Bright: | 1/12 and 1/26 of the sun's visible brightness
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Where to View: | Barely visible to the unaided eye on a dark, moonless night. Located in Cygnus the Swan, also called the Northern Cross (Star Map).
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When to View: | June through November from northern middle latitudes.
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