White star · Aries
Mesarthim
Also known as: γ² Arietis (γ² Ari), HIP 8832
mag 3.9160 light-years
About
Mesarthim (γ² Arietis) is a white star of magnitude 3.9 in Aries, about 160 light-years away.
How to find it
- Mesarthim 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 61° 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
- 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.
Facts
| Proper name | Mesarthim |
|---|---|
| Designation | γ² Arietis (γ² Ari) |
| Hipparcos number | HIP 8832 |
| Type | White star |
| Spectral type | A1p Si |
| Colour | WhiteB−V colour index −0.05 |
| Magnitude | 3.9The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Distance | 160 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1860. |
| Proper motion | 0.13″ per year across the sky |
| Constellation | Aries |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 01h 53m 31.8s |
| Declination (J2000) | +19° 17′ 38″ |
More in Aries
Sources and credits
Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →