Orange giant · Cancer

Nahn

Also known as: ξ Cancri (ξ Cnc), HIP 44946

mag 5.2370 light-years

About

Nahn (ξ Cancri) is an orange giant of magnitude 5.2 in Cancer, about 370 light-years away.

Nahn is in the constellation Cancer.
Best evenings: around late March 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 58° 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	Nahn
Designation	ξ Cancri (ξ Cnc)
Hipparcos number	HIP 44946
Type	Orange giant
Spectral type	K0III
Colour	Pale orangeB−V colour index 0.97
Magnitude	5.2The smaller the number, the brighter.
Distance	370 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1650.
Proper motion	0.001″ per year across the sky
Constellation	Cancer
Right ascension (J2000)	09h 09m 21.5s
Declination (J2000)	+22° 02′ 43″