Orange main-sequence star · Cygnus
61 Cygni
Also known as: 61 Cyg, HIP 104214
mag 5.211 light-years
About
61 Cygni is an orange main-sequence star of magnitude 5.2 in Cygnus, about 11 light-years away.
How to find it
- 61 Cygni is in the constellation Cygnus.
- Best evenings: around late September 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 41° 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 | 61 Cygni (61 Cyg) |
|---|---|
| Hipparcos number | HIP 104214 |
| Type | Orange main-sequence star |
| Spectral type | K5V |
| Colour | Pale orangeB−V colour index 1.07 |
| Magnitude | 5.2The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Distance | 11 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 2015. |
| Proper motion | 5.28″ per year across the sky |
| Constellation | Cygnus |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 21h 06m 53.3s |
| Declination (J2000) | +38° 44′ 58″ |
Sources and credits
Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →