Kaus Australis: how to find it and when to see it
Kaus Australis ranks 33rd of the 74 bright stars on our list, at magnitude 1.79, in the constellation Sagittarius.
You can see it from anywhere south of 56° N, and it's highest in the evening sky in August.
Kaus Australis at a glance
- Constellation
- Sagittarius
- Magnitude
- 1.79
- Rank on our list
- 33 of 74
- Hemisphere
- Southern
- Right ascension
- 18 h 24 min
- Declination
- 34.4° south
- Visible from
- south of 56° N
- Never sets
- south of 56° S
- Best evening
- August 12
- Name from
- Arabic and Latin
- Same constellation
- Nunki
Where Kaus Australis is in the sky
Kaus Australis sits 34.4° south of the celestial equator, the line in the sky directly above Earth's equator, so it's in the southern half of the sky. Its right ascension is 18 h 24 min.
Right ascension works like longitude on the sky. It's counted in hours, and about one hour of it turns past you each hour of the night.
When and where to see Kaus Australis
From the northern hemisphere
From 40° N, the latitude of New York, Madrid and Beijing, Kaus Australis rises in the southeast, climbs to 16° above the horizon in the south and sets in the southwest.
It's in the evening sky from July to August, and it's highest in the evening around August 12, in summer.
From the southern hemisphere
From 34° S, the latitude of Sydney, Cape Town and Buenos Aires, Kaus Australis rises in the southeast, passes almost straight overhead and sets in the southwest.
It's in the evening sky from May to November, and it's highest in the evening around August 12, in winter.
How high Kaus Australis climbs from each latitude
The evening is about 9 pm local time, or 10 pm during daylight saving time, and later when the sky is still too bright. A star counts as in the evening sky when it's at least 10° above the horizon.
| Latitude | Visibility | Highest point | Evening sky |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60° N | Never rises | Below the horizon | None |
| 50° N | Rises and sets | 6° in the south | None |
| 40° N | Rises and sets | 16° in the south | Jul to Aug |
| 30° N | Rises and sets | 26° in the south | Jul to Sep |
| 20° N | Rises and sets | 36° in the south | Jun to Sep |
| Equator | Rises and sets | 56° in the south | Jun to Oct |
| 20° S | Rises and sets | 76° in the south | May to Oct |
| 34° S | Rises and sets | Overhead | May to Nov |
| 45° S | Rises and sets | 79° in the north | May to Nov |
What the name Kaus Australis means
Kaus Australis joins the Arabic qaws, bow, and the Latin australis, southern. It marks the southern part of the archer's bow.
Keep the sky of a night that matters
Our star maps show the stars above any place, at the minute you choose, with the constellation lines drawn in. If Kaus Australis was above the horizon that night, it's on your map, and we print it on museum-grade paper.
Questions about Kaus Australis
Kaus Australis is in Sagittarius. It sits 34.4° south of the celestial equator, at a right ascension of 18 h 24 min.
Kaus Australis is highest in the evening sky around August 12. That's summer in the northern hemisphere and winter in the southern hemisphere.
Yes, from anywhere south of 56° N. From 40° N, it climbs to 16° above the horizon in the south.
Kaus Australis has a magnitude of 1.79, which ranks it 33rd of the 74 bright stars on our list. Sirius looks about 20 times brighter.
Kaus Australis joins the Arabic qaws, bow, and the Latin australis, southern. It marks the southern part of the archer's bow.