Orange giant · Hercules

Marsic B

Also known as: κ Herculis (κ Her), HIP 79045

mag 6.32,100 light-years

About

Marsic B (κ Herculis) is an orange giant of magnitude 6.3 in Hercules, about 2,100 light-years away.

Marsic B 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.

EyesAt the very limit of the naked eye; binoculars show it easily.
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 B
Designation	κ Herculis (κ Her)
Hipparcos number	HIP 79045
Type	Orange giant
Spectral type	K1III
Colour	Pale orangeB−V colour index 1.14
Magnitude	6.3The smaller the number, the brighter.
Distance	2,100 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 100 BC. Distances this large are uncertain by 10% or more.
Proper motion	0.036″ per year across the sky
Constellation	Hercules
Right ascension (J2000)	16h 08m 04.9s
Declination (J2000)	+17° 03′ 16″

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