ψ Ophiuchi (psi Ophiuchi)

Altitude: -13.9° Azimuth: 255.2° Direction: West-South-West

ψ Ophiuchi is a hypergiant star in the constellation of Ophiuchus.

ψ Ophiuchi visual magnitude is 4.5. Because of its moderate brightness, ψ 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 ψ Ophiuchi:

Color of ψ Ophiuchi ⬤

Magnitude of ψ Ophiuchi 4.5

Class Hypergiant

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW

ψ Ophiuchi (psi Ophiuchi) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt.

Altitude: -13.9°
Azimuth: 255.2°
Direction: West-South-West

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of ψ Ophiuchi

ψ 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 ψ Ophiuchi are provided in the following table:

Right Ascension J2000 16h 24m 06s

Declination J2000 -20° 02’ 15”

Galactic Longitude 356.17°

Galactic Latitude 20.18°

Constellation Ophiuchus

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

Finder chart ψ Ophiuchi (psi Ophiuchi) star

Simplified finder chart for ψ Ophiuchi (psi Ophiuchi).

Visibility of ψ 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 ψ Ophiuchi (psi 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: 110.0° RISE 7:10

Max altitude: 18.5° TRANSIT 11:20

Azimuth: 250.0° SET 15:29

Digitized Sky Survey image of ψ Ophiuchi

The image below is a photograph of ψ 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 ψ Ophiuchi is -0.027 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and -0.047 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.

DSS2 image of ψ Ophiuchi. The red arrow shows the motion of ψ Ophiuchi during the next 10000 years (-4.50 arcmin in Right Ascension and -7.83 arcmin in declination);

Distance of ψ Ophiuchi from the Sun and relative movement

ψ Ophiuchi is distant 177.95 light years from the Sun

Distance (parsec) 54.59 pc

Distance (light year) 177.95 ly

Proper Motion RA -0.027 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec -0.047 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of ψ Ophiuchi

ψ Ophiuchi belongs to spectral class K0 and has a luminosity class of II corresponding to a hypergiant star.

Absolute magnitude 0.81

Spectral Type K0II

Color Index (B-V) 1.01

Temperature of ψ Ophiuchi 4719K

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

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

Alternative designations of ψ Ophiuchi

Bayer designation ψ Ophiuchi
(psi Ophiuchi)

Flamsteed designation 4 Ophiuchi

Henry Draper Catalogue HD147700

SAO Catalogue SAO159892

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP80343

Durchmusterung Catalogue BD-19 4365

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In Evidence

Other stars in Ophiuchus