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Star · K5III

Eltanin

Eltanin is a giant star of spectral type K5III in the constellation Draco, 154.3 light-years from the Sun.

Other namesγ Dra · HIP 87833
ConstellationDraco
Distance154.3 light-years (47.3 pc)
Apparent magnitudemagnitude 2.24
Absolute magnitudemagnitude −1.13
Spectral typeK5III
Surface temperature3,760 K
Luminosity933 L☉
Radius71.9 R☉
Mass6.41 M☉ (estimated)
Right ascension (J2000)17h 56m 36.4s
Declination (J2000)+51° 29′ 20″
Space velocity (relative to the Sun)28.5 km/s

In the sky

Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 2.24). Visible from the whole Northern Hemisphere and south to latitude 39° S. North of latitude 39° 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 1872. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 2.7 million years.

The Sun seen from there

From a planet around Eltanin, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 8.20, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Pictor. It would be invisible to the naked eye.

Neighbours

Its nearest neighbours in the catalogue (within 20 light-years):

  • HIP 88079 7.39 light-years
  • HD 167042 12.4 light-years
  • HIP 84816 16.5 light-years
  • TOI-1846 19.8 light-years

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.