Blue-white giant · Draco

Aldhibah

Also known as: ζ Draconis (ζ Dra), HIP 83895

mag 3.2330 light-years

About

Aldhibah (ζ Draconis) is a blue-white giant of magnitude 3.2 in Draco, about 330 light-years away.

Aldhibah is in the constellation Draco.
Best evenings: around late July it is highest at about 9 pm (10 pm in summer time); a month earlier, two hours later.
Where on Earth: it is seen well, at least 10° up, from north of 14° S.

When it rises and sets tonight, how high it climbs and how much the Moon gets in the way are worked out in your browser for your place.

EyesVisible from the suburbs on a clear night, but lost in bright city skies.
Binoculars (10×50)A sharp point; binoculars bring out its colour and the fainter stars around it.
Telescope (6–8 inch)Still a point of light at any magnification — stars are too far away to show a disc. Low in the sky, bright stars twinkle and flash colours.

Stars look the same in any instrument: brighter and sharper, but never bigger.

Proper name	Aldhibah
Designation	ζ Draconis (ζ Dra)
Hipparcos number	HIP 83895
Type	Blue-white giant
Spectral type	B6III
Colour	Blue-whiteB−V colour index −0.12
Magnitude	3.2The smaller the number, the brighter.
Distance	330 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1700.
Proper motion	0.028″ per year across the sky
Constellation	Draco
Right ascension (J2000)	17h 08m 47.2s
Declination (J2000)	+65° 42′ 53″

Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →