White star · Lyra
ζ¹ Lyrae
Also known as: ζ¹ Lyr, HIP 91971
mag 4.3160 light-years
About
ζ¹ Lyrae is a white star of magnitude 4.3 in Lyra, about 160 light-years away.
How to find it
- ζ¹ Lyrae is in the constellation Lyra.
- Best evenings: around mid-August 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 42° 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
- 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.
Facts
| Designation | ζ¹ Lyrae (ζ¹ Lyr) |
|---|---|
| Hipparcos number | HIP 91971 |
| Type | White star |
| Spectral type | Am |
| Colour | Yellowish whiteB−V colour index 0.19 |
| Magnitude | 4.3The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Distance | 160 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1870. |
| Proper motion | 0.040″ per year across the sky |
| Constellation | Lyra |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 18h 44m 46.3s |
| Declination (J2000) | +37° 36′ 18″ |
Sources and credits
Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →