Star profile

Izar

Epsilon Boötis · Boötes

3D likeness based on its real data · class A · ~8,500 K

What is Izar

Izar is the jewel on the shepherd's leg in Boötes, a blue-white star 202 light-years away that the astronomer Friedrich Struve nicknamed «Pulcherrima», the most beautiful, upon discovering it. Its Arabic name «al-izār» means belt or veil, for its position fastened to the side of the mythological figure. It is considered one of the loveliest visual pairs in the sky, although to the naked eye it appears as a single light.

Where it is and when to see it

Izar 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 66° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 76° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 29° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 63° S.

It ranks no. 2 in brightness among the 88 stars of Boötes in our catalogue. To find it, start from Arcturus, the brightest: it lies about 10° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 200 years ago.

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A public signature from a real person. The chosen name is a symbolic denomination within Stelvia, with no official standing or IAU recognition: the sky is not for sale and belongs to no one.

Astronomical data for Izar

Constellation: Boötes
Apparent magnitude: 2.35
Distance: 202.6 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 221.247° · Dec 27.074°
Catalogue: HIP 72105 · HD 129988

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

Other stars in Boötes

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

See all 88 stars in Boötes