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Nu Serpentis — Star in Serpens

Magnitude 4.3m Star Serpens (Ser) Visible
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Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 4.33
Spectral Type A2V
Star Color White (B-V 0.03)
Distance 116 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 17h 20m 49.7s
Dec -12° 50' 49.0"
Constellation Serpens (Ser)
HR 6446
HIP 84880
HD 156928
SAO 160479
Bayer Nu
Flamsteed 53 Ser
Double Cat 10481
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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Explore

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

Possible Eggen group with HR 63, q.v.
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.

Sabik
HIP 84012; Eta Ophiuchi; 35 Ophiuchi
Easy
Bright naked-eye star, mag 2.4
Double Star mag 2.43 3.8° Ophiuchus
NGC 6356
Easy
Globular cluster — dense ball of ancient stars
Globular Cluster mag 8.4 5.0° Ophiuchus
V1010 Oph
Medium+
Eclipsing binary, period 15.9h
Variable Star mag 6.10 8.1° Ophiuchus
Show on Map

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The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram — Reading Stars Like a Map
The HR diagram turns the night sky into a physics map: every named star has a spot, every spot tells you mass, age, and fate. A guide for amateur observers.
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