κ Ophiuchi (kappa Ophiuchi)

Altitude: 18.9° Azimuth: 261.1° Direction: West

κ Ophiuchi is a variable giant star in the constellation of Ophiuchus.

κ Ophiuchi visual magnitude is 3.2. Because of its moderate brightness, κ Ophiuchi 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 κ Ophiuchi:

Color of κ Ophiuchi ⬤

Magnitude of κ Ophiuchi 3.2

Class Giant

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW

κ Ophiuchi (kappa Ophiuchi) is above the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt.

Altitude: 18.9°
Azimuth: 261.1°
Direction: West

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of κ Ophiuchi

κ Ophiuchi is situated close to the celestial equator, as such, it is at least partly visible from both hemispheres in certain times of the year. Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox as well as galactic coordinates of κ Ophiuchi are provided in the following table:

Right Ascension J2000 16h 57m 40s

Declination J2000 +09° 22’ 30”

Galactic Longitude 28.37°

Galactic Latitude 29.5°

Constellation Ophiuchus

The simplified sky map below shows the position of κ Ophiuchi in the sky:

Finder chart κ Ophiuchi (kappa Ophiuchi) star

Simplified finder chart for κ Ophiuchi (kappa Ophiuchi).

Visibility of κ Ophiuchi from your location

Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London

Today's κ Ophiuchi (kappa Ophiuchi) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):

Azimuth: 80.6° RISE 11:06

Max altitude: 47.9° TRANSIT 17:52

Azimuth: 279.4° SET 0:38

Digitized Sky Survey image of κ Ophiuchi

The image below is a photograph of κ Ophiuchi 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 κ Ophiuchi is -0.291 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and -0.01 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 1000 years is represented with the red arrow.

Image of κ Ophiuchi (kappa Ophiuchi) star

DSS2 image of κ Ophiuchi. The red arrow shows the motion of κ Ophiuchi during the next 1000 years (-4.85 arcmin in Right Ascension and -0.17 arcmin in declination);

Distance of κ Ophiuchi from the Sun and relative movement

κ Ophiuchi is distant 85.81 light years from the Sun and it is moving towards the Sun at the speed of 56 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 26.32 pc

Distance (light year) 85.81 ly

Heliocentric radial velocity -56 km/s

Proper Motion RA -0.291 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec -0.01 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of κ Ophiuchi

κ Ophiuchi belongs to spectral class K2 and has a luminosity class of III corresponding to a giant star.

Absolute magnitude 1.10

Spectral Type K2III

Color Index (B-V) 1.15

Temperature of κ Ophiuchi 4409K

The red dot in the diagram below shows where κ Ophiuchi is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.

H-R diagram showing the position of κ Ophiuchi. Attribution: Richard Powell / CC BY-SA

Alternative designations of κ Ophiuchi

Bayer designation κ Ophiuchi
(kappa Ophiuchi)

Flamsteed designation 27 Ophiuchi

Henry Draper Catalogue HD153210

SAO Catalogue SAO121962

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP83000

Durchmusterung Catalogue BD+09 3298

FK5 Catalogue 633

General Catalogue of Variable Stars Kap Oph

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In Evidence

Other stars in Ophiuchus