Star profile

HIP 68009

Southern polar star

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

What is HIP 68009

Near the southern celestial pole, in Chamaeleon, burns an orange K-type star 802 light-years away. Its light set out when Marco Polo was undertaking his journeys along the Silk Road toward Cathay and Persia. Cooler than the Sun, its amber tone stands out among the tiny constellations of the far south. It can only be seen from very southern latitudes, where the sky turns slowly around an invisible, silent point.

Where it is and when to see it

HIP 68009 lies in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is June, 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 41° up.

It can be seen from anywhere south of 7° N.

It ranks no. 18 in brightness among the 19 stars of Chamaeleon in our catalogue. To find it, start from Alpha Chamaeleon, the brightest: it lies about 14° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 800 years ago.

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Astronomical data for HIP 68009

Constellation: Chamaeleon
Apparent magnitude: 5.95
Distance: 801.5 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 208.912° · Dec -82.666°
Catalogue: HIP 68009 · HD 120213

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Other stars in Chamaeleon

Chamaeleon has 19 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 19 stars in Chamaeleon