Orange giant · Aries
Hamal
Also known as: α Arietis (α Ari), HIP 9884
mag 2.066 light-years
About
Hamal (α Arietis) is an orange giant of magnitude 2.0 in Aries, about 66 light-years away.
How to find it
- Hamal is in the constellation Aries.
- Best evenings: around early December 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 57° 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. 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 | Hamal |
|---|---|
| Designation | α Arietis (α Ari) |
| Hipparcos number | HIP 9884 |
| Type | Orange giant |
| Spectral type | K2III |
| Colour | Pale orangeB−V colour index 1.15 |
| Magnitude | 2.0The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Distance | 66 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1960. |
| Proper motion | 0.24″ per year across the sky |
| Constellation | Aries |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 02h 07m 10.4s |
| Declination (J2000) | +23° 27′ 45″ |
More in Aries
Sources and credits
Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →