Yellow giant · Octans
γ¹ Octantis
Also known as: γ¹ Oct, HIP 117689
mag 5.1270 light-years
About
γ¹ Octantis is a yellow giant of magnitude 5.1 in Octans, about 270 light-years away.
How to find it
- γ¹ Octantis is in the constellation Octans.
- Where on Earth: it is seen well, at least 10° up, from south of 2° 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
- 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.
Facts
| Designation | γ¹ Octantis (γ¹ Oct) |
|---|---|
| Hipparcos number | HIP 117689 |
| Type | Yellow giant |
| Spectral type | G7III |
| Colour | Pale orangeB−V colour index 0.93 |
| Magnitude | 5.1The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Distance | 270 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1760. |
| Proper motion | 0.053″ per year across the sky |
| Constellation | Octans |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 23h 52m 06.7s |
| Declination (J2000) | −82° 01′ 08″ |
Sources and credits
Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →