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: 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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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