Star profile
Phi Geminorum
What is Phi Geminorum
Phi Geminorum is a white A-type star at two hundred and twenty-two light-years, set in the body of the Twins, far from the bright heads of Castor and Pollux. Its cold, precise light belongs to a constellation made famous by the zodiac and generously offered by the northern hemisphere's winter sky. A second-rank star in one of the most anciently named constellations.
Where it is and when to see it
Phi Geminorum 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 65° above the horizon.
- From New York it culminates about 76° above the horizon.
- From Sydney it culminates about 29° above the horizon.
It can be seen from anywhere north of 63° S.
It ranks no. 26 in brightness among the 74 stars of Gemini in our catalogue. To find it, start from Pollux, the brightest: it lies about 2° 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 Phi Geminorum
- Constellation
- Gemini
- Apparent magnitude
- 4.97
- Distance
- 222.5 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 118.374° · Dec 26.766°
- Catalogue
- HIP 38538 · HD 64145
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Other stars in Gemini
Gemini has 74 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- PolluxBeta Geminorum1.16
- CastorAlpha Geminorum1.58
- AlhenaGamma Geminorum1.93
- JishuiOmicron Geminorum4.89
- 81 Geminorum4.89
- Chi Geminorum4.94
- 65 Geminorum5.01
- 57 Geminorum5.04