Star profile
Xi Phoenicis
Variable starWhat is Xi Phoenicis
Xi Phoenicis is a variable A-type star 219 light-years away, in the modern constellation of the Phoenix drawn by Dutch navigators across the maps of the southern sky. Its small brightness pulsations place it among the so-called Delta Scuti variables — stars that vibrate like bells with periods of just a few hours, too subtle for the naked eye but plain to the photometer.
Where it is and when to see it
Xi Phoenicis 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 never rises above the horizon.
- From Sydney it never sets and culminates about 67° up.
It can be seen from anywhere south of 33° N.
It ranks no. 33 in brightness among the 39 stars of Phoenix in our catalogue. To find it, start from Ankaa, the brightest: it lies about 14° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 220 years ago.
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Astronomical data for Xi Phoenicis
- Constellation
- Phoenix
- Apparent magnitude
- 5.72
- Distance
- 218.6 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 10.443° · Dec -56.501°
- Catalogue
- HIP 3277 · HD 3980
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Other stars in Phoenix
Phoenix has 39 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- AnkaaAlpha Phoenicis2.40
- Beta Phoenicis3.32
- Gamma Phoenicis3.41
- HIP 23835.67
- HIP 5225.70
- Tau Phoenicis5.71
- HIP 35835.80
- HIP 100355.84