Star profile

Xi Herculis

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

What is Xi Herculis

Xi Herculis is an orange K-type giant settled within the body of the kneeling Hero, one of the oldest constellations of the northern sky. Its warm hue reaches us from 137 light-years away, after a journey through space in relative solitude. It is a mature star, its hydrogen core spent and a future of red swelling ahead.

Where it is and when to see it

Xi Herculis lies in the northern 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 68° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 79° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 27° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 61° S.

It ranks no. 8 in brightness among the 136 stars of Hercules in our catalogue. To find it, start from Kornephoros, the brightest: it lies about 21° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 140 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Xi Herculis

Constellation: Hercules
Apparent magnitude: 3.70
Distance: 136.8 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 269.441° · Dec 29.248°
Catalogue: HIP 87933 · HD 163993

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Other stars in Hercules

Hercules has 136 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 136 stars in Hercules