Pollux (β Gem, β Geminorum, Beta Geminorum) is a star in the northern constellation of Gemini, the Twins. It is an evolved giant star with an orange hue. At an apparent visual magnitude of 1.1,[2] Pollux is the brightest star in the constellation; brighter even than its neighbor Castor (Alpha Geminorum). Parallax measurements made with the Hipparcos astrometry satellite[13][14] place it at a distance of about 33.78 light-years (10.36 parsecs) from Earth[1]. Since 1943, the spectrum of this star has served as one of the stable anchor points by which other stars are classified.[15] In 2006, Pollux was confirmed to have an extrasolar planet orbiting it.[7]

Excerpt from Wikipedia.