Mira facts for kids

This is a picture of Mira out of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Mira is a binary star system with a white dwarf (Mira B, also known as VZ Ceti) star and a red giant (Mira A). Scientists think Mira is 200-400 light years away in the constellation Cetus. Mira is known to change size over time. Other red giant stars that do the same are called Mira variables.

Size

Mira has a diameter 332 to 541 times that of our sun.

If Mira did not change size, its diameter would be only 240 times larger than the Sun.

Related pages

• R Leporis
• T Cephei
• Chi Cygni

Images for kids

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  Mira at two different times

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  Visual light curve of Mira, generated using the AAVSO light curve generator tool

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  Mira as seen from the Earth

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  Mira in UV and visible light

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  Pulsations in χ Cygni, showing the relation between the visual light curve, temperature, radius and luminosity typical of Mira variable stars

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  Ultraviolet mosaic of Mira's bow shock and tail obtained using NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX)

See also

In Spanish: Mira (estrella) para niños