Canopus (HIP 30438)
Canopus is a white bright giant star in the constellation Carina. At 308 light years away, it is the 2nd brightest star in the Earth's sky, where it shines at an apparent visual magnitude of -0.62. The iron abundance of Canopus is -0.11 (77.6% of the Sun). It is moving through the Galaxy at a speed of 24.5 km/s relative to the Sun. Its projected Galactic orbit carries it between 21,300 and 24,300 light years from the center of the Galaxy. It came closest to the Sun 3.1 million years ago when it had brightened to magnitude -1.88 from a distance of 172 light years.
Sky position: RA 6h 24.0m, Dec -52° 42'
