Mira - Flickering Red Giant


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What's in a Name: Latin for Wonderful
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.
Type of Star: Red Giant (M7 IIIe Spectral Class)
How Far Away: 220 light years away
How Big: 300 times the sun's diameter. Would fill the orbit of Mars.
How Bright: 3-500 times the sun's luminosity
Where to View: Located in constellation of Cetus the Whale (Star Map).
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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