altair

Altair, designated Alpha Aquilae, is the brightest star in the constellation Aquila and one of the closest naked-eye first-magnitude stars to Earth. It lies about 16.7 light-years away and has an apparent visual magnitude of about 0.77. Altair is classified as an A-type main-sequence star (spectral type A7V) that is hotter and more luminous than the Sun.

The star spins rapidly, causing it to be oblate in shape; its equatorial diameter exceeds its polar diameter. It has roughly 1.8 solar masses and is estimated to be around 1 to 2 billion years old.

Altair is part of the Summer Triangle asterism, along with Vega and Deneb, and is a prominent feature of northern hemisphere summer skies. Its name derives from the Arabic al-Ṭāʾir, meaning “the flying one” or “the flying eagle.”

In modern times, Altair has also been used as a corporate name, notably Altair Engineering, a company specializing in software for computer-aided design, simulation, and high-performance computing; the use by brands is separate from the star itself.