ρ Aurigae (rho Aurigae)

ρ Aurigae is a main-sequence star in the constellation of Auriga.

ρ Aurigae visual magnitude is 5.23. Because of its reltive faintness, ρ Aurigae should be visible only from locations with dark skyes, while it is not visible at all from skyes affected by light pollution.

The table below summarizes the key facts about ρ Aurigae:

Color of ρ Aurigae ⬤

Magnitude of ρ Aurigae 5.23

Class Main-sequence

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW ρ Aurigae (rho Aurigae) is above the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change]. Altitude: 3°.

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of ρ Aurigae

ρ Aurigae is situated north of the celestial equator, as such, it is more easily visible from the northern hemisphere. Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox as well as galactic coordinates of ρ Aurigae are provided in the following table:

Right Ascension J2000 05h 21m 48s

Declination J2000 +41° 48’ 15”

Galactic Longitude 166.56°

Galactic Latitude 2.93°

Constellation Auriga

The simplified sky map below shows the position of ρ Aurigae in the sky:

Finder chart ρ Aurigae (rho Aurigae) star

Simplified finder chart for ρ Aurigae (rho Aurigae).

Visibility of ρ Aurigae from your location

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

ρ Aurigae (rho Aurigae) is circumpolar and transits at 17:25 UTC (altitude: 80.3°)

Digitized Sky Survey image of ρ Aurigae

The image below is a photograph of ρ Aurigae 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 ρ Aurigae is 0.018 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and -0.037 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.

DSS2 image of ρ Aurigae. The red arrow shows the motion of ρ Aurigae during the next 10000 years (3.00 arcmin in Right Ascension and -6.17 arcmin in declination);

Distance of ρ Aurigae from the Sun and relative movement

ρ Aurigae is distant 641.73 light years from the Sun and it is moving far from the Sun at the speed of 13 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 196.85 pc

Distance (light year) 641.73 ly

Heliocentric radial velocity 13 km/s

Proper Motion RA 0.018 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec -0.037 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of ρ Aurigae

ρ Aurigae belongs to spectral class B3 and has a luminosity class of V corresponding to a main-sequence star.

Absolute magnitude -1.24

Spectral Type B3V

Color Index (B-V) -0.15

Temperature of ρ Aurigae 12489K

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

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

Alternative designations of ρ Aurigae

Bayer designation ρ Aurigae
(rho Aurigae)

Flamsteed designation 20 Aurigae

Henry Draper Catalogue HD34759

SAO Catalogue SAO40269

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP25048

Durchmusterung Catalogue BD+41 1162

FK5 Catalogue 2400

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Other stars in Auriga