Editing Sirius (section)

== Location ==
[[File:Angular map of fusors around Sol within 9ly (large).png|thumb|upright=1.5|The position of Sirius on a [[Plan position indicator|radar]] map among all stellar objects or [[star system|stellar systems]] within 9 light years (ly) from the map's center, the Sun (Sol). The diamond-shapes are their positions entered according to [[right ascension]] in [[hour angle|hours angle]] (indicated at the edge of the map's reference disc), and according to their [[declination]]. The second mark shows each's distance from Sol, with the [[Concentric objects|concentric]] circles indicating the distance in steps of one ly.]]
At a distance of 2.6&nbsp;parsecs (8.6&nbsp;ly), the Sirius system contains two of the eight [[List of nearest stars|nearest stars]] to the Sun, and it is the fifth closest stellar system to the Sun.<ref name="Todd2006"/> This proximity is the main reason for its brightness, as with other near stars such as [[Alpha Centauri]], Procyon and Vega and in contrast to distant, highly luminous supergiants such as Canopus, [[Rigel]] or Betelgeuse (although Canopus may be a bright giant).<ref name="RASNZ"/> It is still around 25 times more luminous than the Sun.<ref name="Liebert2005"/> The closest large neighbouring star to Sirius is Procyon, 1.61 parsecs (5.24&nbsp;ly) away.<ref name="SolStation"/> The ''[[Voyager 2]]'' spacecraft, launched in 1977 to study the four [[giant planet]]s in the Solar System, is expected to pass within {{convert|4.3|ly|pc}} of Sirius in approximately 296,000 years.<ref name="Angrum2005"/>

{{Clear}}