ρ Serpentis (rho Serpentis)

ρ Serpentis is a variable giant star in the constellation of Serpens.

ρ Serpentis visual magnitude is 4.76. Because of its moderate brightness, ρ Serpentis 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 ρ Serpentis:

Color of ρ Serpentis ⬤

Magnitude of ρ Serpentis 4.76

Class Giant

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW ρ Serpentis (rho Serpentis) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change].

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of ρ Serpentis

ρ Serpentis 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 ρ Serpentis are provided in the following table:

Right Ascension J2000 15h 51m 15s

Declination J2000 +20° 58’ 40”

Galactic Longitude 34.44°

Galactic Latitude 48.7°

Constellation Serpens

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

Finder chart ρ Serpentis (rho Serpentis) star

Simplified finder chart for ρ Serpentis (rho Serpentis).

Visibility of ρ Serpentis from your location

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

Today's ρ Serpentis (rho Serpentis) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change] are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):

Azimuth: 69.0° RISE 20:37

Max altitude: 59.5° TRANSIT 4:33

Azimuth: 291.0° SET 12:26

RIGHT NOW ρ Serpentis (rho Serpentis) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom

Digitized Sky Survey image of ρ Serpentis

The image below is a photograph of ρ Serpentis 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 Serpentis is -0.053 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and 0.019 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.

Image of ρ Serpentis (rho Serpentis) star

DSS2 image of ρ Serpentis. The red arrow shows the motion of ρ Serpentis during the next 10000 years (-8.83 arcmin in Right Ascension and 3.17 arcmin in declination);

Distance of ρ Serpentis from the Sun and relative movement

ρ Serpentis is distant 394.67 light years from the Sun and it is moving towards the Sun at the speed of 62 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 121.07 pc

Distance (light year) 394.67 ly

Heliocentric radial velocity -62 km/s

Proper Motion RA -0.053 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec 0.019 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of ρ Serpentis

ρ Serpentis belongs to spectral class K5 and has a luminosity class of III corresponding to a giant star.

Absolute magnitude -0.66

Spectral Type K5III

Color Index (B-V) 1.54

Temperature of ρ Serpentis 3734K

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

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

Alternative designations of ρ Serpentis

Bayer designation ρ Serpentis
(rho Serpentis)

Flamsteed designation 38 Serpentis

Henry Draper Catalogue HD141992

SAO Catalogue SAO84037

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP77661

Durchmusterung Catalogue BD+21 2829

General Catalogue of Variable Stars 7300

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In Evidence

Other stars in Serpens