Altaïr is a STAR in the constellation Aquila, also known as Alpha Aquilae. It is one of the brightest stars in the night sky and is the twelfth brightest STAR in the sky. Altaïr is also the brightest STAR in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is located approximately 17 light years from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 0.77. Altaïr is a blue-white main sequence STAR with a spectral type of A7V. It is estimated to be around 500 million years old and has a mass of 2.1 solar masses.