Star profile

Adhil

Xi Andromedae · Andromeda

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

What is Adhil

Adhil rests on Andromeda's hip, an orange K-type giant 215 light-years away. Its name comes from the Arabic «Aḍ-Ḍayl», «the tail» or «the train», referring to the fold of the cloak of the princess chained at the feet of the sea monster. The light leaving it travels for more than two centuries before reaching us: the photon visible tonight departed when Mozart was still composing his final symphonies, in the heart of the European Enlightenment.

Where it is and when to see it

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

From London it never sets and culminates about 84° up.
From New York it culminates about 85° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 11° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 44° S.

It ranks no. 27 in brightness among the 81 stars of Andromeda in our catalogue. To find it, start from Alpheratz, the brightest: it lies about 22° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 210 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Adhil

Constellation: Andromeda
Apparent magnitude: 4.87
Distance: 214.5 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 20.585° · Dec 45.529°
Catalogue: HIP 6411 · HD 8207

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

Other stars in Andromeda

Andromeda has 81 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 81 stars in Andromeda