Star · A5V
η Cap
η Cap is a main-sequence star of spectral type A5V in the constellation Capricornus, 196.5 light-years from the Sun.
| Other names | Gl 816.2A · HIP 104019 |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Capricornus |
| Distance | 196.5 light-years (60.2 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 4.82 |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude 0.92 |
| Spectral type | A5V |
| Surface temperature | 8,410 K |
| Luminosity | 40.4 L☉ |
| Radius | 2.99 R☉ |
| Mass | 2.61 M☉ (estimated) |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 21h 04m 24.3s |
| Declination (J2000) | −19° 51′ 18″ |
| Space velocity (relative to the Sun) | 26.2 km/s |
In the sky
Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 4.82). Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 70° N. South of latitude 70° S it never sets. It stands highest at midnight in August, the best time to observe it.
Through a telescope from Earth
Light's journey
The light you see tonight set out around the year 1830. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 3.5 million years.
The Sun seen from there
From a planet around η Cap, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 8.73, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Cancer. It would be invisible to the naked eye.
Neighbours
Its nearest neighbours in the catalogue (within 20 light-years):
- Gl 816.2B 0.01 light-years
- χ Cap 5.90 light-years
- HIP 103480 9.96 light-years
- HIP 103166 13.9 light-years
- HIP 103460 14.7 light-years
- HIP 102762 15.2 light-years
- HIP 104549 16.3 light-years
- HD 203387 18.7 light-years
Position, brightness and colour from the HYG / AT-HYG catalogue; temperature, luminosity, radius and mass are approximate values computed from these observations.