When is the best time to observe Alnasl?

Alnasl is best observed from May through July, with peak visibility during June when it transits around midnight in the Northern Hemisphere.

Where is Alnasl located in the sky?

Alnasl lies in the constellation Sagittarius at right ascension 18h 06m and declination -30° 25′.

What telescope do I need to see Alnasl?

At magnitude 3.0, Alnasl is visible to the naked eye from dark skies, easy in any binoculars.

Alnasl — Star in Sagittarius

HIP 88635; Gamma2 Sagittarii; 10 Sagittarii

Magnitude 3.0^m Star Sagittarius (Sgr) Visible

Star Map + List + Plan

About Alnasl

Description

Alnasl (also spelled Nushaba) is an orange giant of spectral type K1III at magnitude 2.99 in Sagittarius. Located about 96 light-years from Earth, it has a luminosity of roughly 100 times solar. Alnasl marks the tip of the arrow in the Archer's bow and lies near the direction of the galactic center, making its field rich with background stars.

Observing Tips

Alnasl sits at the tip of the arrow/spout of the Sagittarius Teapot asterism. It is a good starting point for finding the rich star clouds, nebulae, and clusters near the galactic center. Its warm orange color provides a nice contrast to the blue-white star clouds behind it. Best observed from June through September when Sagittarius is in the evening sky.

History

The name Alnasl comes from the Arabic 'al-nasl,' meaning 'the arrowhead' or 'the point,' describing its position at the tip of the Archer's arrow. In the popular Teapot asterism, Alnasl marks the tip of the spout from which the Milky Way appears to pour like steam.

Fun Facts

When you look at Alnasl, you are looking almost directly toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy, which lies just a few degrees away in the dense star clouds of Sagittarius. The 'steam' rising from the Teapot's spout is actually the dense star clouds of the Milky Way's central bulge.