When is the best time to observe Nekkar?

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

Where is Nekkar located in the sky?

Nekkar lies in the constellation Boötes at right ascension 15h 02m and declination +40° 23′.

What telescope do I need to see Nekkar?

At magnitude 3.5, Nekkar is visible to the naked eye from dark skies, easy in any binoculars.

Nekkar — Star in Boötes

HIP 73555; Beta Bootis; 42 Bootis

Magnitude 3.5^m Star Boötes (Boo) Visible

Star Map + List + Plan

About Nekkar

Description

Nekkar, Beta Boötis, is a yellow giant of spectral class G8 IIIa Fe-0.5 about 225 light-years away. Nekkar is a slow flare star: it has been caught emitting X-ray flares 10,000 times stronger than typical solar flares, a surprising behavior for an evolved giant. It shines at magnitude 3.50 and marks the head of the Herdsman, at the top of Boötes's kite-shaped outline.

Observing Tips

Nekkar sits at the top of the Boötes kite, northeast of Arcturus. In binoculars it shows a warm yellow hue. No visual companion is resolvable. Best observed April through August.

History

The name comes from the Arabic "al-baqqār," meaning "the cowherd" — the same root concept that gave Boötes its Greek name. Nekkar is one of the bright markers of the celestial plowman. The IAU adopted the name in 2016.

Fun Facts

Nekkar's flare activity was first detected in X-rays by ROSAT in the 1990s and later confirmed by XMM-Newton. The flares likely arise from magnetic reconnection in a thin, active surface layer — evidence that the star retains a deep convection zone even as a post-main-sequence giant.