Star profile
Nu Librae
What is Nu Librae
Nu Librae is an orange K-type giant in the Scales about 696 light-years away. Its warm ember shines within a constellation of relatively late naming: for centuries the Romans saw in these stars the outstretched claws of neighbouring Scorpius, before they were carved off as a separate balance pan. Each time Nu Librae crosses the meridian, it marks the invisible border between two stories told of the same patch of sky: that of the armoured southern hunter, and that of justice silently weighing the things of the world.
Where it is and when to see it
Nu Librae lies in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is May, when it culminates around midnight.
- From London it culminates about 22° above the horizon.
- From New York it culminates about 33° above the horizon.
- From Sydney it culminates about 72° above the horizon.
It can be seen from anywhere south of 74° N.
It ranks no. 21 in brightness among the 49 stars of Libra in our catalogue. To find it, start from Zubeneschamali, the brightest: it lies about 7° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 700 years ago.
It opens in your browser. Free, no account, nothing to install.
Leave your signature on Nu Librae
Your name and a message go up on the map for everyone to read. Signing is free.
Without a lock, someone else can replace your signature. How the lock works
We'll ask for an email to confirm it's you, no password.
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 Nu Librae
- Constellation
- Libra
- Apparent magnitude
- 5.19
- Distance
- 695.5 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 226.657° · Dec -16.257°
- Catalogue
- HIP 73945 · HD 133774
A symbolic commemorative gift: neither the signature nor the chosen name implies ownership of the star or recognition by the IAU.
Other stars in Libra
Libra has 49 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- ZubeneschamaliBeta Librae2.61
- ZubenelgenubiAlpha 2 Librae2.75
- BrachiumSigma Librae3.25
- 36 Librae5.13
- Alpha 1 Librae5.15
- HIP 762435.16
- 12 Librae5.27
- Mu Librae5.32