Star profile

Asellus Borealis

Gamma Cancri · Cancer

3D likeness based on its real data · class A · ~8,500 K

What is Asellus Borealis

Asellus Borealis, 'the northern donkey', and its southern counterpart flank the Beehive cluster in Cancer, forming with it one of the oldest figurative pairings recognised by both Greeks and Romans. The Latin tradition identified them with the two donkeys ridden by Dionysus and Silenus in the war between the gods and the Titans. It is a white A-type star about 181 light-years away — its light set out around 1845, in the heart of the European Industrial Revolution.

Where it is and when to see it

Asellus Borealis 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 60° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 71° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 35° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 69° S.

It ranks no. 5 in brightness among the 49 stars of Cancer in our catalogue. To find it, start from Tarf, the brightest: it lies about 14° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 180 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Asellus Borealis

Constellation: Cancer
Apparent magnitude: 4.66
Distance: 181.2 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 130.821° · Dec 21.469°
Catalogue: HIP 42806 · HD 74198

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Other stars in Cancer

Cancer has 49 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 49 stars in Cancer