Orange giant · Phoenix
Ankaa
Also known as: α Phoenicis (α Phe), HIP 2081
mag 2.485 light-years
About
Ankaa (α Phoenicis) is an orange giant of magnitude 2.4 in Phoenix, about 85 light-years away.
How to find it
- Ankaa is in the constellation Phoenix.
- Best evenings: around mid-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 south of 38° N.
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. It has a clear orange tint.
- 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 | Ankaa |
|---|---|
| Designation | α Phoenicis (α Phe) |
| Hipparcos number | HIP 2081 |
| Type | Orange giant |
| Spectral type | K0III |
| Colour | Pale orangeB−V colour index 1.08 |
| Magnitude | 2.4The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Distance | 85 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1941. |
| Proper motion | 0.42″ per year across the sky |
| Constellation | Phoenix |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 00h 26m 17.0s |
| Declination (J2000) | −42° 18′ 22″ |
More in Phoenix
NGC 92Robert's QuartetGalaxy · mag 13.2NGC 89Robert's QuartetGalaxy · mag 13.5NGC 87Robert's QuartetGalaxy · mag 14.3NGC 88Robert's QuartetGalaxy · mag 14.4Sources and credits
Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →