Capella

American  

[kuh-pel-uh] / kəˈpɛl ə /

noun

1. Astronomy. a first-magnitude star in the constellation Auriga.

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Capella British  

/ kəˈpɛlə /

noun

1. the brightest star in the constellation Auriga; it is a yellow giant and a spectroscopic binary. Visual magnitude: 0.08; spectral type: G6III and G2III; distance: 42 light years

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Capella Scientific  

/ kə-pĕl′ə /

1. A binary star in the constellation Auriga. It is one of the brightest stars in the night sky, with an apparent magnitude of 0.08. Scientifc name: Alpha Auriga.

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Etymology

Origin of Capella

1675–85; < Latin: literally, she-goat, equivalent to cap ( ra ) she-goat + -ella diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

“Whoever has the greatest economic or logistical capacity sometimes captures the throne,” Capella said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

Wolfpack Research claims that IonQ’s acquisitions, such as Capella Space and Vector Atomic, are primarily for their government contracts and revenue, rather than quantum computing relevance.

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

Larry Barlow, assistant professor of marriage and family therapy at Capella University, recounts a personal episode that brought him and his wife up short.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 23, 2025

Radar satellite imagery shared by Capella Space reveals at least four badly damaged or destroyed Russian long-range bombers at Belaya airbase.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2025

This would make the distance of the nebula more than twice the distance of Sirius, about four times the distance of α Centauri, but less than that of Capella.

From Astronomical Curiosities Facts and Fallacies by Gore, J. Ellard