question

[vbvb]

sirius, has a temperature of 10,000 K. what color would you expect Sirius to appear? 

[Ccolvin968]

I feel like this is a random kid who needs help on some science homework...

Sirius is actually not just a single star, but part of a binary system.

Sirius A is White and is a spectral type A1V. The second fainter of the two (Sirius is a white dwarf with spectral type DA2.

Sirius A is the brightest star in the night sky and is around magnitude -1.5.

See what a little studying up, and google for the fun little extras can do?

[Ccolvin968]

That face was supposed to be Sirius B... Not sure why it made a face with glasses...

[RichieP]

The multi coloured effect is caused by our atomsphere - a combination of Sirius's brightness and that, from this country where we see it low down in the sky, we see it through lots of atmosphere.

[Richardisgreat]

+1 what RichieP said

[John]

+1 what RichieP said

+2 what RichieP said 

When it's not showing the effects of atmospheric dispersion (which it often does) Sirus A is a blue-white star. Sirius B (sometimes called The Pup) is a white dwarf and just around the size of the Earth I believe.

[Tinker1947]

This may help......

http://outreach.atnf.csiro.au/education/senior/astrophysics/photometry_colour.html

[ronin]

Sirius will have a peak emission well into the ultra violet part of the spectrum.

Looking at a simple simulator there is about (estimation) 1.5 parts Red, 2 parts Green and 3 parts Blue and 4 parts UV,

So the spectrum is well biased to the Blue section.

As R+G+B = White you have a white star with an additional bias to Blue/UV.

You end up with a classic Blue White star.

The colours you see is the refraction of the light through the atmosphere, there would be less refraction if you were such that Sirius were directly overhead.

The black body colour temp simulator used was:

BBCurves

Looks simple but useful.

[Timbo32]

That face was supposed to be Sirius B... Not sure why it made a face with glasses...

if you were next to sirus a you would want sun glasses on too! lol