ρ2 Eridani (rho2 Eridani)

ρ2 Eridani is a variable and double hypergiant star in the constellation of Eridanus.

ρ2 Eridani visual magnitude is 5.32. Because of its reltive faintness, ρ2 Eridani 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 ρ2 Eridani:

Color of ρ2 Eridani ⬤

Magnitude of ρ2 Eridani 5.32

Class Hypergiant

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW ρ2 Eridani (rho2 Eridani) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change].

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of ρ2 Eridani

ρ2 Eridani 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 ρ2 Eridani are provided in the following table:

Right Ascension J2000 03h 02m 42s

Declination J2000 -07° 41’ 07”

Galactic Longitude 187.04°

Galactic Latitude -53.34°

Constellation Eridanus

The simplified sky map below shows the position of ρ2 Eridani in the sky:

Finder chart ρ2 Eridani (rho2 Eridani) star

Simplified finder chart for ρ2 Eridani (rho2 Eridani).

Visibility of ρ2 Eridani from your location

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

Today's ρ2 Eridani (rho2 Eridani) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change] are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):

Azimuth: 97.7° RISE 9:51

Max altitude: 30.8° TRANSIT 15:11

Azimuth: 262.3° SET 20:30

RIGHT NOW ρ2 Eridani (rho2 Eridani) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom

Digitized Sky Survey image of ρ2 Eridani

The image below is a photograph of ρ2 Eridani 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 ρ2 Eridani is 0.047 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and -0.001 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.

DSS2 image of ρ2 Eridani. The red arrow shows the motion of ρ2 Eridani during the next 10000 years (7.83 arcmin in Right Ascension and -0.17 arcmin in declination);

Distance of ρ2 Eridani from the Sun and relative movement

ρ2 Eridani is distant 257.71 light years from the Sun and it is moving far from the Sun at the speed of 25 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 79.05 pc

Distance (light year) 257.71 ly

Heliocentric radial velocity 25 km/s

Proper Motion RA 0.047 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec -0.001 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of ρ2 Eridani

ρ2 Eridani belongs to spectral class K0 and has a luminosity class of II corresponding to a hypergiant star.

Absolute magnitude 0.83

Spectral Type K0II

Color Index (B-V) 0.94

Temperature of ρ2 Eridani 4892K

The red dot in the diagram below shows where ρ2 Eridani is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.

H-R diagram showing the position of ρ2 Eridani. Attribution: Richard Powell / CC BY-SA

ρ2 Eridani star system properties

ρ2 Eridani is a visual double star which can be observed with the help of medium or large telescopes. The table below shows key information about the ρ2 Eridani double sysyem:

Main star magnitude 5.32

Secondary star magnitude 9.52

Magnitude difference 4.2

Separation 1.9 arcsec

Alternative designations of ρ2 Eridani

Bayer designation ρ2 Eridani
(rho2 Eridani)

Flamsteed designation 9 Eridani

Henry Draper Catalogue HD18953

SAO Catalogue SAO130254

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP14168

Durchmusterung Catalogue BD-08 568

General Catalogue of Variable Stars 1024

Aitken Double Star Catalogue ADS2312

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Other stars in Eridanus