Star profile

Matar

Eta Pegasi · Pegasus

3D likeness based on its real data · class G · ~5,500 K

What is Matar

Matar belongs to the asterism of Pegasus, a yellow class-G star lying 214 light-years away, similar in colour to the Sun but markedly more evolved. Its name comes from the Arabic «sa'd al-matar», the lucky one of rain, a reference that links medieval astronomy with agricultural weather: at the time, the heliacal rising of this star announced damp seasons in the desert. Today it lingers as a golden wink among the constellations of the northern autumn.

Where it is and when to see it

Matar lies in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is September, when it culminates around midnight.

From London it culminates about 69° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 80° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 26° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 60° S.

It ranks no. 5 in brightness among the 98 stars of Pegasus in our catalogue. To find it, start from Enif, the brightest: it lies about 25° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 210 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Matar

Constellation: Pegasus
Apparent magnitude: 2.93
Distance: 214.3 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 340.751° · Dec 30.221°
Catalogue: HIP 112158 · HD 215182

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Other stars in Pegasus

Pegasus has 98 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 98 stars in Pegasus