Star profile

Delta Octans

Southern polar star

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

What is Delta Octans

Delta Octantis belongs to Octans, the constellation invented in the eighteenth century to honour the navigational instrument that preceded the sextant. It is an orange K-type giant orbiting close to the south celestial pole —a region of the sky that lacks a bright pole star like the one in the north. Its modest glow at 299 light-years makes it a silent companion to the southern axis of the firmament.

Where it is and when to see it

Delta Octans 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 40° up.

It can be seen from anywhere south of 6° N.

It ranks no. 3 in brightness among the 35 stars of Octans in our catalogue. To find it, start from Nu Octans, the brightest: it lies about 16° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 300 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Delta Octans

Constellation: Octans
Apparent magnitude: 4.31
Distance: 299.0 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 216.732° · Dec -83.668°
Catalogue: HIP 70638 · HD 124882

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Other stars in Octans

Octans has 35 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 35 stars in Octans