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Star · K2II

51 Her

51 Her is a bright giant star of spectral type K2II in the constellation Hercules, 758.8 light-years from the Sun.

Other namesHIP 82504
ConstellationHercules
Distance758.8 light-years (232.7 pc)
Apparent magnitudemagnitude 5.03
Absolute magnitudemagnitude −1.80
Spectral typeK2II
Surface temperature4,220 K
Luminosity1,030 L☉
Radius60.1 R☉
Mass6.6 M☉ (estimated)
Right ascension (J2000)16h 51m 45.3s
Declination (J2000)+24° 39′ 23″
Space velocity (relative to the Sun)22.2 km/s

In the sky

Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 5.03). Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 65° S. North of latitude 65° N it never sets. It stands highest at midnight in June, the best time to observe it.

Through a telescope from Earth

Light's journey

The light you see tonight set out around the year 1267. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 13 million years.

The Sun seen from there

From a planet around 51 Her, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 11.66, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Eridanus. It would be invisible to the naked eye.

Open in the simulation

Position, brightness and colour from the HYG / AT-HYG catalogue; temperature, luminosity, radius and mass are approximate values computed from these observations.