Menkar - α Ceti (alpha Ceti)
Menkar, also designated as α Ceti (alpha Ceti), is a variable giant star in the constellation of Cetus.
Menkar visual magnitude is 2.53, making it the 93th brightest star in the sky. Thanks to its high brightness, Menkar is clearly visible when observed from locations with dark skies, and should be also quite easily visible from light polluted areas.
The proper motion of Menkar is -0.009 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and -0.078 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.
Key facts about Menkar
Menkar - α Ceti (alpha Ceti) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom.
Altitude: -0.1°
Azimuth: 83.3°
Direction: East
Celestial coordinates and finder chart of Menkar
Menkar 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 Menkar are provided in the following table:
The simplified sky map below shows the position of Menkar in the sky:
Visibility of Menkar from your location
Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
Today's Menkar - α Ceti (alpha Ceti) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
Distance of Menkar from the Sun and relative movement
Menkar is distant 219.97 light years from the Sun and it is moving towards the Sun at the speed of 26 kilometers per second.
Spectral properties of Menkar
Menkar belongs to spectral class M1 and has a luminosity class of III corresponding to a giant star.
The red dot in the diagram below shows where Menkar is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.
