Hubble Space Telescope image of the cool red giant star Mira in the ultraviolet.
Click on image for star map
M. Karovska (Center for Astrophysics) and NASA
Mira - Flickering Red Giant
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What's in a Name: | Latin for Wonderful
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| Claim to Fame: | Humans have been watching this star with interest for over 300 years. It changes its luminosity over a 332 day period by both shrinking and cooling. At its maximum it is a breathtaking deep red star and the brightest star in the constellation Cetus. But for 5 months it cannot even be seen with the unaided eye.
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| Type of Star: | Red Giant (M7 IIIe Spectral Class)
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| How Far Away: | 220 light years away
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| How Big: | 300 times the sun's diameter. Would fill the orbit of Mars.
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| How Bright: | 3-500 times the sun's luminosity
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| Where to View: | Located in constellation of Cetus
the Whale (Star Map).
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| When to View: | Can only see it when the star is at its maximum brightness in its cycle. Best time to view Cetus is October through January
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