Bellatrix is a bluish-white giant star located 250 light years away in the constellation of Orion, where it marks the giant's western “shoulder”. It is the 3rd brightest star in Orion, with an apparent magnitudes of 1.64, but only the 27th most luminous star in the night sky.

Bellatrix is a B2 III variable star with a temperature of 22,000K, and whose brightness ranges between apparent magnitudes of 1.59 and 1.64. It is rapidly depleting its hydrogen fuel and has started to evolve off the main sequence on its way to becoming a true giant. It is expected to become an orange giant within a few million years, and has already developed a gaseous shell that signals the start of its transformation. At its present 8.4 solar masses, Bellatrix is also close to being considered a supernova candidate.