Altair (HIP 97649)
Altair is a white main-sequence star in the constellation Aquila. At 16.7 light years away, it is the 12nd brightest star in the Earth's sky, where it shines at an apparent visual magnitude of 0.76. Altair is the primary component of a multiple-star system and an intrinsic variable star that varies between magntitudes 0.82 and 0.87 over a period of 7.94 days. The iron abundance of Altair is -0.24 (57.5% of the Sun). It is moving through the Galaxy at a speed of 31.1 km/s relative to the Sun. Its projected Galactic orbit carries it between 23,100 and 27,400 light years from the center of the Galaxy. It will come closest to the Sun 138,000 years from now when it will brighten to magnitude -0.67 from a distance of 8.6 light years.
Sky position: RA 19h 50.8m, Dec +8° 52.2'
