ζ Pyxidis (zeta Pyxidis)

Below the horizon. Rise: 14:22 | Tran: 17:18 | Set: 20:15

Alt: -13.50° Az: 238.97° Direction: West-South-West

ζ Pyxidis is a variable and double giant star of spectral class G4 in the constellation of Pyxis.

ζ Pyxidis visual magnitude is 4.89. Because of its moderate brightness, ζ Pyxidis 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 ζ Pyxidis. The red arrow shows the motion of ζ Pyxidis during the next 10000 years (-3.33 arcmin in Right Ascension and -14.83 arcmin in declination);

Celestial Coordinates

Apparent

Right Ascension 08h 40m 45s

Declination -29° 39’ 07”

Hour Angle 04h 54m 00s

Sidereal Time 13h 34m 45s

J2000

Right Ascension 08h 39m 42s

Declination -29° 33’ 39”

Galactic Coordinates

Galactic Longitude 251.59°

Galactic Latitude 7.31°

Finder Chart

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Finder chart for ζ Pyxidis (zeta Pyxidis).

Magnitude, Color, Spectral Class

Color ⬤

Magnitude 4.89

Class Giant

Absolute magnitude 0.59

Spectral Type G4III

Color Index (B-V) 0.9

Temperature 4996K

The red dot in the diagram below shows where ζ Pyxidis is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.

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

Star System Properties

ζ Pyxidis 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 ζ Pyxidis double sysyem:

Main star magnitude 4.89

Secondary star magnitude 9.09

Magnitude difference 4.2

Separation 52.4 arcsec

Distance, Radial Speed, Proper Motion

ζ Pyxidis is distant 235.72 light years from the Sun and it is moving towards the Sun at the speed of 32 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 72.31

Distance (light year) 235.72

Radial Speed -32 km/s

Proper Motion RA -0.02 arcsec/y

Proper Motion Dec -0.089"/y

Alternative Designations

Bayer designation ζ Pyxidis
(zeta Pyxidis)

Henry Draper Catalogue HD73898

SAO Catalogue SAO176253

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP42483

Durchmusterung Catalogue CD-29 6544

FK5 Catalogue 2680

General Catalogue of Variable Stars 4186

Aitken Double Star Catalogue ADS6923

Visibility from Your Location

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

Azimuth: 119.7° RISE 14:22

Max altitude: 8.9° TRANSIT 17:18

Azimuth: 240.3° SET 20:15

Set Location

Other stars in Pyxis