Star profile

Eta Columbae

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

What is Eta Columbae

Eta Columbae dwells in the Dove, that constellation carved into the southern sky by the cartographer Plancius to accompany the ship Argo. An orange K-type giant well into its late phase, its warm light travels four hundred and seventy light-years to reach us. The Dove flies always beneath the Hare, far from the classical Greek catalogues.

Where it is and when to see it

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

From London it never rises above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 6° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 81° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere south of 47° N.

It ranks no. 5 in brightness among the 45 stars of Columba in our catalogue. To find it, start from Phact, the brightest: it lies about 10° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 470 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Eta Columbae

Constellation: Columba
Apparent magnitude: 3.96
Distance: 472.1 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 89.787° · Dec -42.815°
Catalogue: HIP 28328 · HD 40808

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Other stars in Columba

Columba has 45 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 45 stars in Columba