Red giant · Ursa Minor
λ Ursae Minoris
Also known as: λ UMi, HIP 84535
mag 6.3890 light-years
About
λ Ursae Minoris is a red giant of magnitude 6.3 in Ursa Minor, about 890 light-years away.
How to find it
- λ Ursae Minoris is in the constellation Ursa Minor.
- Where on Earth: it is seen well, at least 10° up, from north of 9° 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.
What you will see
- EyesAt the very limit of the naked eye; binoculars show it easily.
- 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 | λ Ursae Minoris (λ UMi) |
|---|---|
| Hipparcos number | HIP 84535 |
| Type | Red giant |
| Spectral type | M1III |
| Colour | Orange-redB−V colour index 1.57 |
| Magnitude | 6.3The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Distance | 890 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1140. |
| Proper motion | 0.023″ per year across the sky |
| Constellation | Ursa Minor |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 17h 16m 57.2s |
| Declination (J2000) | +89° 02′ 16″ |
Sources and credits
Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →