Orion series – 5

Now for calculations.

The average distance from the Earth, taken between the farthest and the nearest, is 821 light years (ly).

Two stars are not far from that average : Rigel and Zeta. What is the distance between them ?

Their declination differs from 6° 16, and the difference is 26m 13 for the right ascension (Source : WP.) Given that 1 h. = 15°, 26m 13 is 390’ or 6°30’. On an approximate planar right triangle, the hypotenuse has an angular measure of 9°.



This angle, on the sphere laid at the average distance of 821 ly, amounts to 129 ly.





We have two stars, Rigel and Zeta, keeping that distance in front of us on the same plane. Gamma (γ Ori) is 578 ly nearer (821 - 243), and Epsilon (ε Ori) 521 ly farther from us. Is this a home ? Is that a comfortable stellation ? Well, I never tried it, after all ! At last there’s room enough.