Star profile

Rho Draco

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

What is Rho Draco

Rho Draconis slides along the long, winding body of the celestial Dragon, one of the most extensive constellations of the northern sky. At 429 light-years, this orange K-type giant embodies the slow fate of stars that have spent their core hydrogen: swollen, cool at the surface, pouring out a warm light that seems to belong to another age. Its reddish hue stands apart from the white stars that coil around the ecliptic pole.

Where it is and when to see it

Rho 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 October, when it culminates around midnight.

From London it never sets and culminates about 74° up.
From New York it never sets and culminates about 63° up.
From Sydney it never rises above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 22° S.

It ranks no. 17 in brightness among the 122 stars of Draco in our catalogue. To find it, start from Eltanin, the brightest: it lies about 22° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 430 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Rho Draco

Constellation: Draco
Apparent magnitude: 4.51
Distance: 428.6 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 300.704° · Dec 67.874°
Catalogue: HIP 98702 · HD 190940

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Other stars in Draco

Draco has 122 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 122 stars in Draco