Sigma Octantis

Sigma Octantis: The Southern Sky's Bright Helper

Sigma Octantis is a special star in the Octans constellation. It is called the southern pole star because it sits very close to the Earth's South Pole in the sky. Just like the North Star helps people find north, Sigma Octantis helps people in the Southern Hemisphere find true south.

This star is only about one degree away from the southern celestial pole. If you stand in a place far below the equator and look up, Sigma Octantis will seem to stay still while other stars move around it. It is about 294 light-years away from Earth.

Sigma Octantis is also known as Polaris Australis. This name means “southern pole star.” People have used this name since the 1700s. In 2017, scientists made it the star’s official name.

Even though Sigma Octantis is very important, it is not very bright. You might need special tools to see it clearly. But it is part of a cool shape in the sky that looks like half a hexagon. You can also look for a group of stars that form a trapezoid to help find it.

Sigma Octantis even appears on the flag of Brazil! There, it stands for the Brazilian Federal District. This makes it the dimmest star ever shown on a country’s flag.