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104 Herculis — Star in Hercules

Magnitude 5.0m Star Hercules (Her) Visible
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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 4.97
Spectral Type M3III giant
Star Color Red (B-V 1.65)
Distance 466 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 18h 11m 54.2s
Dec +31° 24' 19.0"
Constellation Hercules (Her)
HR 6815
HIP 89172
HD 167006
SAO 66737
Flamsteed 104 Her
Variable ID V669 Her
SIMBAD

3How easy to spot?

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Equipment Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
Naked eye Medium Medium Hard+
50mm finder Easy Easy Easy
150mm scope Easy Easy Easy
Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs

4Visibility

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Best season May – Jul (peak: Jun)

5Survey Image

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6

Size Comparison

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7

Compare Stars

8

Spectral Classification

9

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

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Read: The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram — Reading Stars Like a Map
10

Stellar Lifecycle

11

Blackbody Spectrum

12

Stellar Absorption Spectrum

Simulated absorption spectrum based on spectral type. Hover over lines to identify elements.

13

Stellar Fusion

Discover

14Stellar Notes

Amp. 0.14B.
15

Light Travel Time Machine

16

Relativistic Travel

Nearby in the Sky

Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.

Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.

100 Her
Easy
Easy double, sep 14.4″
Double Star mag 5.86 5.4° Hercules
T Lyr
Easy
Variable star, range 7.5–9.2
Variable Star mag 7.50 7.0° Lyra
NGC 6674
Hard+
Barred spiral galaxy
Galaxy mag 12.1 8.4° Hercules
M57
Ring Nebula
Easy
Planetary nebula — try an OIII filter
Planetary Nebula mag 8.8 9.0° Lyra
Show on Map

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