Star profile
68 Ophiuchi
What is 68 Ophiuchi
68 Ophiuchi is a white A-type star pulsing nearly 293 light-years away, within the vast polygon traced by Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer. Hotter and more luminous than the Sun, it radiates with the bluish purity typical of A stars, while the ecliptic crosses this very sector and the Sun symbolically traverses it each November. Its light departed as the first refracting telescopes were lifted toward the European sky.
Where it is and when to see it
68 Ophiuchi 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 40° above the horizon.
- From New York it culminates about 51° above the horizon.
- From Sydney it culminates about 55° above the horizon.
It can be seen from anywhere north of 89° S.
It ranks no. 24 in brightness among the 88 stars of Ophiuchus in our catalogue. To find it, start from Rasalhague, the brightest: it lies about 13° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 290 years ago.
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Astronomical data for 68 Ophiuchi
- Constellation
- Ophiuchus
- Apparent magnitude
- 4.42
- Distance
- 292.6 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 270.438° · Dec 1.305°
- Catalogue
- HIP 88290 · HD 164577
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Other stars in Ophiuchus
Ophiuchus has 88 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- RasalhagueAlpha Ophiuchi2.08
- SabikEta Ophiuchi2.43
- Zeta Ophiuchi2.54
- Sigma Ophiuchi4.34
- Iota Ophiuchi4.39
- Xi Ophiuchi4.39
- Omega Ophiuchi4.45
- Psi Ophiuchi4.48