Star profile
Phi Draco
Variable starWhat is Phi Draco
Phi Draconis is one of the brightest magnetic chemically-peculiar stars in the sky: its surface holds powerful magnetic fields that pin patches of silicon, iron and chromium, and as it turns every 1.7 days those spots subtly modulate its light. It also belongs to a triple system, with an inner companion tracing an eccentric 128-day orbit. Its modest glow, 303 light-years away, hides an extraordinary physics.
Where it is and when to see it
Phi Draco lies in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is December, when it culminates around midnight.
- From London it never sets and culminates about 70° up.
- From New York it never sets and culminates about 59° up.
- From Sydney it never rises above the horizon.
It can be seen from anywhere north of 19° S.
It ranks no. 14 in brightness among the 122 stars of Draco in our catalogue. To find it, start from Eltanin, the brightest: it lies about 20° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 300 years ago.
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Astronomical data for Phi Draco
- Constellation
- Draco
- Apparent magnitude
- 4.22
- Distance
- 302.9 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 275.189° · Dec 71.338°
- Catalogue
- HIP 89908 · HD 170000
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Other stars in Draco
Draco has 122 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- EltaninGamma Draco2.24
- AthebyneEta Draco2.73
- RastabanBeta Draco2.79
- Epsilon Draco3.84
- Kappa Draco3.85
- Theta Draco4.01
- HIP 471934.28
- Tau Draco4.45