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56 Serpentis — Star in Serpens

Magnitude 4.3m Star Serpens (Ser) Visible
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1Physical Properties

Magnitude 4.26
Variable Type Delta Scuti (Pulsating)
Spectral Type A2V
Star Color White (B-V 0.08)
Distance 544 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 17h 41m 24.9s
Dec -12° 52' 31.0"
Constellation Serpens (Ser)
HR 6581
HIP 86565
HD 160613
SAO 160747
Flamsteed 56 Ser
Variable ID Omi Ser
SIMBAD

3How easy to spot?

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Equipment Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
Naked eye Medium+ Medium+ Medium
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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7

Size Comparison

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8

Compare Stars

9

Spectral Classification

10

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

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Read: The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram — Reading Stars Like a Map
11

Stellar Lifecycle

12

Blackbody Spectrum

13

Stellar Absorption Spectrum

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

14

Stellar Fusion

Discover

15Stellar Notes

Delta Sct 4.20 - 4.26V, 0.053d.
16

Light Travel Time Machine

17

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.

NGC 6517
Medium+
Globular cluster — dense ball of ancient stars
Globular Cluster mag 10.3 6.4° Ophiuchus
NGC 6507
Easy
Open cluster
Open Cluster mag 10.0 6.4° Sagittarius
Tau Oph
HIP 88404; Tau Ophiuchi; 69 Ophiuchi
Hard+
Tight double — a rewarding split at 1.4″
Double Star mag 5.24 7.1° Ophiuchus
Y Oph
Medium
Pulsating variable, period 17.1d
Variable Star mag 6.21 7.3° Ophiuchus
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