Star profile

Iota Grus

3D likeness based on its real data · class K · ~4,200 K

What is Iota Grus

Iota Gruis is an orange K-type giant that quietly orbits an unseen companion: a spectroscopic pair that takes a little over a terrestrial year to complete one elongated, eccentric loop. It also emits a faint murmur of X-rays, betraying the activity of its hot corona.

Where it is and when to see it

Iota Grus lies in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is August, when it culminates around midnight.

From London it never rises above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 4° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 79° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere south of 45° N.

It ranks no. 5 in brightness among the 39 stars of Grus in our catalogue. To find it, start from Alnair, the brightest: it lies about 11° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 180 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Iota Grus

Constellation: Grus
Apparent magnitude: 3.88
Distance: 183.3 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 347.590° · Dec -45.247°
Catalogue: HIP 114421 · HD 218670

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Other stars in Grus

Grus has 39 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 39 stars in Grus