White main-sequence star · Aries
Sheratan
Also known as: β Arietis (β Ari), HIP 8903
mag 2.659 light-years
About
Sheratan (β Arietis) is a white main-sequence star of magnitude 2.6 in Aries, about 59 light-years away.
How to find it
- Sheratan 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 59° 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
- EyesEasy, even from town.
- 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 | Sheratan |
|---|---|
| Designation | β Arietis (β Ari) |
| Hipparcos number | HIP 8903 |
| Type | White main-sequence star |
| Spectral type | A5V |
| Colour | Yellowish whiteB−V colour index 0.17 |
| Magnitude | 2.6The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Distance | 59 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1967. |
| Proper motion | 0.15″ per year across the sky |
| Constellation | Aries |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 01h 54m 38.4s |
| Declination (J2000) | +20° 48′ 29″ |
More in Aries
Sources and credits
Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →