Star profile

18 Monocerotis

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

What is 18 Monocerotis

18 Monocerotis burns amber 368 light-years away, inside winter's most discreet constellation. The Unicorn lacks bright stars, which is why this orange K-type giant stands out as a warm beacon among empty patches. Its light set out when Europe was just beginning to chart the Pacific —and is still on its way. A quiet presence in a sky region where almost everything is.

Where it is and when to see it

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

From London it culminates about 41° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 52° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 54° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 88° S.

It ranks no. 8 in brightness among the 71 stars of Monoceros in our catalogue. To find it, start from Beta Monocerotis, the brightest: it lies about 11° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 370 years ago.

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Astronomical data for 18 Monocerotis

Constellation: Monoceros
Apparent magnitude: 4.48
Distance: 368.2 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 101.965° · Dec 2.412°
Catalogue: HIP 32578 · HD 49293

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Other stars in Monoceros

Monoceros has 71 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 71 stars in Monoceros