Yellow giant · Hercules

Marsic

Also known as: κ Herculis (κ Her), HIP 79043

mag 5.0370 light-years

About

Marsic (κ Herculis) is a yellow giant of magnitude 5.0 in Hercules, about 370 light-years away.

Marsic is in the constellation Hercules.
Best evenings: around early 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 63° 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.

EyesNeeds a dark sky away from city lights.
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	Marsic
Designation	κ Herculis (κ Her)
Hipparcos number	HIP 79043
Type	Yellow giant
Spectral type	G8III
Colour	Pale orangeB−V colour index 0.93
Magnitude	5.0The smaller the number, the brighter.
Distance	370 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1660.
Proper motion	0.035″ per year across the sky
Constellation	Hercules
Right ascension (J2000)	16h 08m 04.5s
Declination (J2000)	+17° 02′ 49″

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