ρ Orionis (rho Orionis)

Above the horizon. Rise: 8:20 | Tran: 14:32 | Set: 20:45

Alt: 3.75° Az: 90.07° Direction: East

ρ Orionis is a variable and multiple hypergiant star of spectral class K0 in the constellation of Orion.

ρ Orionis visual magnitude is 4.46. Because of its moderate brightness, ρ Orionis is easily visible to the naked eye from locations with dark skies, while it might be barely visible, or not visible at all, from light-polluted skies.

DSS2 image of ρ Orionis. The red arrow shows the motion of ρ Orionis during the next 100000 years (1.67 arcmin in Right Ascension and -10.00 arcmin in declination);

Celestial Coordinates

Apparent

Right Ascension 05h 14m 37s

Declination +02° 53’ 21”

Hour Angle 18h 09m 35s

Sidereal Time 23h 24m 12s

J2000

Right Ascension 05h 13m 17s

Declination +02° 51’ 39”

Galactic Coordinates

Galactic Longitude 198.52°

Galactic Latitude -20.27°

Finder Chart

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Finder chart for ρ Orionis (rho Orionis).

Magnitude, Color, Spectral Class

Color ⬤

Magnitude 4.46

Class Hypergiant

Absolute magnitude -0.65

Spectral Type K0III

Color Index (B-V) 1.19

Temperature 4328K

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

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

Star System Properties

ρ Orionis is a visual double star which can be observed with the help of small or medium telescopes. The table below shows key information about the ρ Orionis double sysyem:

Main star magnitude 4.46

Secondary star magnitude 8.36

Magnitude difference 3.9

Separation 6.9 arcsec

Distance, Radial Speed, Proper Motion

ρ Orionis is distant 343.52 light years from the Sun and it is moving far from the Sun at the speed of 41 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 105.37

Distance (light year) 343.52

Radial Speed 41 km/s

Proper Motion RA 0.001 arcsec/y

Proper Motion Dec -0.006"/y

Alternative Designations

Bayer designation ρ Orionis
(rho Orionis)

Flamsteed designation 17 Orionis

Henry Draper Catalogue HD33856

SAO Catalogue SAO112528

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP24331

Durchmusterung Catalogue BD+02 888

General Catalogue of Variable Stars 1872

Aitken Double Star Catalogue ADS3797

Visibility from Your Location

Today's ρ Orionis (rho Orionis) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, UK are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):

Azimuth: 87.1° RISE 8:20

Max altitude: 41.4° TRANSIT 14:32

Azimuth: 272.9° SET 20:45

Set Location

Other stars in Orion