Star profile

23 Ophiuchi

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

What is 23 Ophiuchi

23 Ophiuchi is an orange star of Ophiuchus, that vast and underrated constellation that sits astride the celestial equator with the Milky Way crossing its shoulders. Of K class, its tone is that of a cool, steady ember. The light now grazing the atmosphere set out around 1785, when William Herschel was still polishing telescope mirrors in provincial Bath.

Where it is and when to see it

23 Ophiuchi 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 culminates about 32° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 43° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 62° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere south of 84° N.

It ranks no. 44 in brightness among the 88 stars of Ophiuchus in our catalogue. To find it, start from Rasalhague, the brightest: it lies about 21° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 240 years ago.

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Astronomical data for 23 Ophiuchi

Constellation: Ophiuchus
Apparent magnitude: 5.23
Distance: 240.7 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 253.649° · Dec -6.154°
Catalogue: HIP 82730 · HD 152601

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Other stars in Ophiuchus

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

See all 88 stars in Ophiuchus