Phact - α Columbae (alpha Columbae)

Above the horizon. Rise: 6:26 | Tran: 11:20 | Set: 16:10

Alt: 5.64° Az: 131.00° Direction: South-East

Phact, also designated as α Columbae (alpha Columbae), is a variable and double sub-giant star of spectral class B7 in the constellation of Columba.

Phact visual magnitude is 2.64. Because of its brightness, Phact is clearly visible to the naked eye when observed from locations with dark skies, and should be also quite easily visible from light polluted areas.

Image of Phact - α Columbae (alpha Columbae) star

DSS2 image of Phact. The red arrow shows the motion of Phact during the next 10000 years (1.17 arcmin in Right Ascension and -4.33 arcmin in declination);

Celestial Coordinates

Apparent

Right Ascension 05h 40m 34s

Declination -34° 03’ 42”

Hour Angle 19h 39m 52s

Sidereal Time 01h 20m 26s

J2000

Right Ascension 05h 39m 38s

Declination -34° 04’ 27”

Galactic Coordinates

Galactic Longitude 238.81°

Galactic Latitude -28.86°

Finder Chart

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Finder chart for Phact - α Columbae (alpha Columbae).

Magnitude, Color, Spectral Class

Color ⬤

Magnitude 2.64

Class Sub-giant

Absolute magnitude -1.94

Spectral Type B7IV

Color Index (B-V) -0.12

Temperature 11920K

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

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

Star System Properties

Phact is a visual double star which can be observed only with the help of very large telescopes. The table below shows key information about the Phact double sysyem:

Main star magnitude 2.64

Secondary star magnitude 12.34

Magnitude difference 9.7

Separation 13.5 arcsec

Distance, Radial Speed, Proper Motion

Phact is distant 268.09 light years from the Sun and it is moving far from the Sun at the speed of 35 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 82.24

Distance (light year) 268.09

Radial Speed 35 km/s

Proper Motion RA 0.007 arcsec/y

Proper Motion Dec -0.026"/y

Alternative Designations

Proper Name Phact

Bayer designation α Columbae
(alpha Columbae)

Henry Draper Catalogue HD37795

SAO Catalogue SAO196059

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP26634

Durchmusterung Catalogue CD-34 2375

FK5 Catalogue 215

General Catalogue of Variable Stars 2549

Visibility from Your Location

Today's Phact - α Columbae (alpha Columbae) rise, transit and set times from Xiamao, China are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Asia/Shanghai):

Azimuth: 124.1° RISE 6:26

Max altitude: 32.5° TRANSIT 11:20

Azimuth: 235.9° SET 16:10

Name:	Xiamao, China
Latitude:	23° 25' 8.8" N
Longitude:	112° 39' 36.0" E
Timezone:	Asia/Shanghai

Set Location

Other stars in Columba