Yellow giant · Pisces

Alpherg

Also known as: η Piscium (η Psc), HIP 7097

mag 3.6350 light-years

About

Alpherg (η Piscium) is a yellow giant of magnitude 3.6 in Pisces, about 350 light-years away.

Alpherg is in the constellation Pisces.
Best evenings: around late November 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 65° 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	Alpherg
Designation	η Piscium (η Psc)
Hipparcos number	HIP 7097
Type	Yellow giant
Spectral type	G8III
Colour	Pale orangeB−V colour index 0.97
Magnitude	3.6The smaller the number, the brighter.
Distance	350 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1680.
Proper motion	0.026″ per year across the sky
Constellation	Pisces
Right ascension (J2000)	01h 31m 29.0s
Declination (J2000)	+15° 20′ 45″