9. Achernar
Achernar is derived from the Arabic phrase meaning "the end of the river," an
appropriate name for a star that marks the southernmost flow of the constellation
Eridanus, the River.
Achernar is the hottest star on this list. Its temperature has been measured
to be between 24,740 and 33,740 degrees Fahrenheit (14, 000-19,000 Kelvin).
Its luminosity ranges from 2,900 to 5,400 times that of the Sun. Shining at
magnitude 0.45, its light takes 144 years to reach your eye.
Achernar is more or less tied with Betelgeuse (No. 10 on the list) for brightness.
However, Achernar is generally listed as the ninth brightest star in the sky
because Betelgeuse is a variable whose magnitude can drop to less than 1.2,
as was the case in 1927 and 1941.
For Northern Hemisphere observers, Achernar rises in the southeast during the
winter months and is visible only from latitudes south of 32 degrees north;
those further north only see a portion of the constellation.
For Star Trek fans: Eridanus is home to Epsilon Eridanus, the star around which
Mr. Spock’s home planet of Vulcan revolves.
Achernar is a massive class B star containing up to eight solar masses. It is
currently burning its hydrogen into helium and will eventually evolve into a
white dwarf star. [Achernar
Map]
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