NOTABLE STARS A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z                    HOME ABOUT CATEGORIES SITE MAP COPYRIGHT ADVERTISE CONTACT entire Web this site Kapteyn's Star (HD 33793) Photo: ESO Online Digitized Sky Survey A nearby red dwarf in the southern constellation of Pictor that has the second largest proper motion (8.72" per year) of any star, after Barnard's Star. It is also the nearest halo star (see halo population) to the Sun, the nearest star that orbits the Galaxy backward, and a high-velocity star (radial velocity +242 km/s). It is named after Jacobus Kapteyn, who discovered its large proper motion in 1897. Visual magnitude 8.86 Absolute magnitude 12.78 Spectral type M0V Luminosity 0.004 Lsun Distance 12.78 light-years Related categories    • NOTABLE STARS    • NEAREST STARS Also on this site: Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living Encyclopedia of History Transport Concepts & Designs (partner site) BACK TO TOP