Orange subgiant · Eridanus

Rana

Also known as: δ Eridani (δ Eri), HIP 17378

mag 3.529 light-years

About

Rana (δ Eridani) is an orange subgiant of magnitude 3.5 in Eridanus, about 29 light-years away.

Rana is in the constellation Eridanus.
Best evenings: around early January 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 south of 70° N.

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.

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.

Proper name	Rana
Designation	δ Eridani (δ Eri)
Hipparcos number	HIP 17378
Type	Orange subgiant
Spectral type	K0IV
Colour	Pale orangeB−V colour index 0.92
Magnitude	3.5The smaller the number, the brighter.
Distance	29 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1997.
Proper motion	0.75″ per year across the sky
Constellation	Eridanus
Right ascension (J2000)	03h 43m 14.9s
Declination (J2000)	−09° 45′ 48″

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