Star profile

Diphda

Beta Ceti · Cetus

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

What is Diphda

Diphda presides over Cetus the Sea Monster, an orange K-type giant burning quietly at 96 light-years. Its Arabic name, «Aḑ-Ḑifda ath-thaniya», means «the second frog», a curious linguistic relic from when medieval astronomers grouped bright, isolated stars under earthly metaphors. On moonless autumn nights in the northern sky, it stands out for its solitude: for many degrees around it the sky grows dim, which once made it a natural reference for sailors and cartographers.

Where it is and when to see it

Diphda lies in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is September: the Sun sits at the opposite point of the sky and the star culminates around midnight. How high it climbs above the horizon depends on the latitude you watch from.

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The signature wall

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Write my signature

A public signature from a real person. The chosen name is a symbolic denomination within Stelvia, with no official standing or IAU recognition: the sky is not for sale and belongs to no one.

Astronomical data for Diphda

Constellation: Cetus
Apparent magnitude: 2.04
Distance: 96.3 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 10.897° · Dec -17.987°
Catalogue: HIP 3419 · HD 4128

A symbolic commemorative gift: neither the signature nor the chosen name implies ownership of the star or recognition by the IAU.

Other stars in Cetus

Cetus has 111 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 111 stars in Cetus