ε Draconis (epsilon Draconis)
ε Draconis is a variable and double giant star in the constellation of Draco.
ε Draconis visual magnitude is 3.83. Because of its moderate brightness, ε Draconis should be easily visible from locations with dark skyes, while it can be barely visible, or not visible at all, from skyes affected by light pollution.
The table below summarizes the key facts about ε Draconis:
Celestial coordinates and finder chart of ε Draconis
ε Draconis is situated close to the northern celestial pole and, as such, it is visible for most part of the year from the northern hemisphere. Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox as well as galactic coordinates of ε Draconis are provided in the following table:
The simplified sky map below shows the position of ε Draconis in the sky:
Visibility of ε Draconis from your location
Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom [change]
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
ε Draconis (epsilon Draconis) is circumpolar and transits at 17:53 UTC (altitude: 71.2°)
Digitized Sky Survey image of ε Draconis
The image below is a photograph of ε Draconis from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2 - see the credits section) taken in the red channel. The area of sky represented in the image is 0.5x0.5 degrees (30x30 arcmins). The proper motion of ε Draconis is 0.082 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and 0.037 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.
Distance of ε Draconis from the Sun and relative movement
ε Draconis is distant 145.54 light years from the Sun and it is moving far from the Sun at the speed of 3 kilometers per second.
Spectral properties of ε Draconis
ε Draconis belongs to spectral class G7 and has a luminosity class of III corresponding to a giant star.
The red dot in the diagram below shows where ε Draconis is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.
ε Draconis star system properties
ε Draconis is a visual double star which can be observed with the help of small or medium telescopes. The table below shows key information about the ε Draconis double sysyem: