Star profile

26 Boötis

3D likeness based on its real data · class F · ~6,500 K

What is 26 Boötis

26 Boötis is a white-yellow subgiant in the Herdsman, an F-type star that has burned the hydrogen at its core and is beginning to leave the main sequence on its way to becoming a giant. It is approaching Earth at about sixteen kilometres per second. Its light crosses just over one hundred and seventy years: it set out around 1850, when Le Verrier and Adams were still arguing about who had truly predicted Neptune.

Where it is and when to see it

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

From London it culminates about 61° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 72° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 34° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 68° S.

It ranks no. 79 in brightness among the 88 stars of Boötes in our catalogue. To find it, start from Arcturus, the brightest: it lies about 5° 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 26 Boötis

Constellation: Boötes
Apparent magnitude: 5.91
Distance: 176.2 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 218.136° · Dec 22.260°
Catalogue: HIP 71115 · HD 127739

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Other stars in Boötes

Boötes has 88 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 88 stars in Boötes