VY Pyxidis is a BL Herculis variable (

type II Cepheid Type II Cepheids are variable stars which pulsate with periods typically between 1 and 50 days. They are population II stars: old, typically metal-poor, low mass objects. Like all Cepheid variables, Type IIs exhibit a period-luminosity relationshi ...

) in the constellation of

Pyxis Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Abbreviated from Pyxis Nautica, its name is Latin for a mariner's compass (contrasting with Circinus, which represents a draftsman's compasses). Pyxis was introduced by Nicolas-Louis ...

. It ranges between

apparent magnitude Apparent magnitude () is a measure of the Irradiance, brightness of a star, astronomical object or other celestial objects like artificial satellites. Its value depends on its intrinsic luminosity, its distance, and any extinction (astronomy), ...

s 7.13 and 7.40 over a period of 1.23995 days. Located around 826 light-years distant, it shines with a

luminosity Luminosity is an absolute measure of radiated electromagnetic radiation, electromagnetic energy per unit time, and is synonymous with the radiant power emitted by a light-emitting object. In astronomy, luminosity is the total amount of electroma ...

approximately 46 times that of the Sun and has a surface temperature of

References

Pyxis Pyxidis, VY BL Herculis variables F-type giants Durchmusterung objects 043736 076296 {{giant-star-stub