φ Ophiuchi (phi Ophiuchi)

Altitude: 18.8° Azimuth: 155.7° Direction: South-South-East

φ Ophiuchi is a multiple giant star in the constellation of Ophiuchus.

φ Ophiuchi visual magnitude is 4.28. Because of its moderate brightness, φ 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 φ Ophiuchi:

Color of φ Ophiuchi ⬤

Magnitude of φ Ophiuchi 4.28

Class Giant

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW

φ Ophiuchi (phi Ophiuchi) is above the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt.

Altitude: 18.8°
Azimuth: 155.7°
Direction: South-South-East

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of φ Ophiuchi

φ 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 φ Ophiuchi are provided in the following table:

Right Ascension J2000 16h 31m 08s

Declination J2000 -16° 36’ 46”

Galactic Longitude 0.13°

Galactic Latitude 21.08°

Constellation Ophiuchus

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

Finder chart φ Ophiuchi (phi Ophiuchi) star

Simplified finder chart for φ Ophiuchi (phi Ophiuchi).

Visibility of φ 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 φ Ophiuchi (phi 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: 106.6° RISE 6:56

Max altitude: 21.9° TRANSIT 11:27

Azimuth: 253.4° SET 15:57

Digitized Sky Survey image of φ Ophiuchi

The image below is a photograph of φ 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 φ Ophiuchi is -0.051 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and -0.035 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.

DSS2 image of φ Ophiuchi. The red arrow shows the motion of φ Ophiuchi during the next 10000 years (-8.50 arcmin in Right Ascension and -5.83 arcmin in declination);

Distance of φ Ophiuchi from the Sun and relative movement

φ Ophiuchi is distant 209.92 light years from the Sun and it is moving towards the Sun at the speed of 34 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 64.39 pc

Distance (light year) 209.92 ly

Heliocentric radial velocity -34 km/s

Proper Motion RA -0.051 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec -0.035 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of φ Ophiuchi

φ Ophiuchi belongs to spectral class G8 and has a luminosity class of III corresponding to a giant star.

Absolute magnitude 0.24

Spectral Type G8III

Color Index (B-V) 0.92

Temperature of φ Ophiuchi 4943K

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

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

φ Ophiuchi star system properties

φ Ophiuchi 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 φ Ophiuchi double sysyem:

Main star magnitude 4.28

Secondary star magnitude 11.08

Magnitude difference 6.8

Separation 120 arcsec

Alternative designations of φ Ophiuchi

Bayer designation φ Ophiuchi
(phi Ophiuchi)

Flamsteed designation 8 Ophiuchi

Henry Draper Catalogue HD148786

SAO Catalogue SAO159963

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP80894

Durchmusterung Catalogue BD-16 4298

Aitken Double Star Catalogue ADS10086

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In Evidence

Other stars in Ophiuchus