Star profile
Epsilon 2 Lyrae
What is Epsilon 2 Lyrae
Epsilon-2 Lyrae is part of the famous Double Double asterism, a quadruple system of white stars that splits in a modest telescope near Vega. About one hundred and fifty-five light-years away, its two main components revolve slowly around one another while each conceals an even tighter pair. It is one of the objects most often shown to those just beginning to observe the sky with their own instrument.
Where it is and when to see it
Epsilon 2 Lyrae lies in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is July, when it culminates around midnight.
- From London it never sets and culminates about 78° up.
- From New York it culminates about 89° above the horizon.
- From Sydney it culminates about 16° above the horizon.
It can be seen from anywhere north of 50° S.
It ranks no. 10 in brightness among the 37 stars of Lyra in our catalogue. To find it, start from Vega, the brightest: it lies about 2° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 160 years ago.
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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 Epsilon 2 Lyrae
- Constellation
- Lyra
- Apparent magnitude
- 4.59
- Distance
- 155.6 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 281.095° · Dec 39.613°
- Catalogue
- HIP 91926 · HD 173607
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Other stars in Lyra
Lyra has 37 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- VegaAlpha Lyrae0.03
- SulafatGamma Lyrae3.25
- SheliakBeta Lyrae3.52
- Zeta 1 Lyrae4.34
- Theta Lyrae4.35
- AladfarEta Lyrae4.43
- Epsilon 1 Lyrae4.67
- HIP 920884.83