White main-sequence star · Corona Borealis
Alphecca
Also known as: α Coronae Borealis (α CrB), HIP 76267
mag 2.275 light-years
About
Alphecca (α Coronae Borealis) is a white main-sequence star of magnitude 2.2 in Corona Borealis, about 75 light-years away.
How to find it
- Alphecca is in the constellation Corona Borealis.
- Best evenings: around late June 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 53° 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.
What you will see
- EyesEasy, even from town.
- 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.
Facts
| Proper name | Alphecca |
|---|---|
| Designation | α Coronae Borealis (α CrB) |
| Hipparcos number | HIP 76267 |
| Type | White main-sequence star |
| Spectral type | A0V |
| Colour | WhiteB−V colour index 0.03 |
| Magnitude | 2.2The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Distance | 75 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1951. |
| Proper motion | 0.15″ per year across the sky |
| Constellation | Corona Borealis |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 15h 34m 41.3s |
| Declination (J2000) | +26° 42′ 53″ |
More in Corona Borealis
Sources and credits
Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →