Sualocin — Star in Delphinus
HIP 101958; Alpha Delphini; 9 Delphini
About Sualocin
Description
Sualocin, Alpha Delphini, is the second-brightest star of Delphinus and part of a multiple-star system including at least four confirmed components. The primary is a B9 IV blue-white subgiant about 253 light-years away. The total system includes the close B9 primary, a pair of faint magnitude-13 components, and more distant relatives at arc-minute separations. Combined primary magnitude is 3.77.
Observing Tips
Sualocin marks the northeast corner of the Delphinus diamond, paired visually with Rotanev at the southwest. The diamond pattern is unmistakable in binoculars. The faint physical companions of Sualocin are beyond the reach of amateur equipment. Best observed July through November.
History
Like its partner Rotanev, Sualocin is a reverse-reading of "Nicolaus," the Latin form of Cacciatore's name — an 1814 Palermo-cataloguer in-joke that has survived as the star's official IAU name. The IAU formally adopted both names in 2016.
Fun Facts
Delphinus is one of the smallest recognizable constellations in the ancient Greek canon, and yet it received two intentionally-named stars from one of the first official catalogs of the modern era. The Sualocin-Rotanev naming joke is the only documented instance of an astronomer deliberately naming stars after themselves.
Observe
1Physical Properties
2Position & Identifiers
3How easy to spot?
| Equipment | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naked eye Naked eye | Easy | Medium+ | Medium+ |
| 50 mm finder 50mm finder | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| 150 mm telescope 150mm scope | Easy | Easy | Easy |
Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs
4Visibility
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5Survey Image
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Explore
7
Size Comparison
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Compare Stars
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Spectral Classification
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Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
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Stellar Lifecycle
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Blackbody Spectrum
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Stellar Absorption Spectrum
Simulated absorption spectrum based on spectral type. Hover over lines to identify elements.
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Stellar Fusion
Discover
15Stellar Notes
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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.
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