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8 Cancri — Star in Cancer

Magnitude 5.1m Star Cancer (Cnc) Visible
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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 5.12
Spectral Type A1V
Star Color White (B-V 0.01)
Distance 142 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 08h 05m 04.5s
Dec +13° 07' 05.0"
Constellation Cancer (Cnc)
HR 3163
HIP 39567
HD 66664
SAO 97542
Flamsteed 8 Cnc
SIMBAD

3How easy to spot?

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Equipment Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
Naked eye Medium Hard+ 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 Dec – Feb (peak: Jan)

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

14

Light Travel Time Machine

15

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.

R Cnc
Hard+
Mira-type variable, range 6.2–11.8
Variable Star mag 7.13 3.1° Cancer
NGC 2513
Hard+
Elliptical galaxy
Galaxy mag 13.0 3.8° Cancer
Tegmine
HIP 40167; Zeta1 Cancri; 16 Cancri
Hard
Tight double — a rewarding split at 1.1″
Double Star mag 5.63 4.8° Cancer
NGC 2395
Easy
Open cluster
Open Cluster mag 8.0 9.2° Gemini
Show on Map

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Mythology, bright stars, and deep-sky highlights.
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