Tau Cancri — Star in Cancer
Observe
1Physical Properties
Magnitude
5.43
Spectral Type
G8III
giant
Star Color
Orange
(B-V 0.89)
2Position & Identifiers
RA
09h 08m 00.1s
Dec
+29° 39' 15.0"
Constellation
Cancer
(Cnc)
HR
3621
HIP
44818
HD
78235
SAO
80650
Bayer
Tau
Flamsteed
72 Cnc
Querying VizieR catalog...
3How easy to spot?
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| Equipment | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naked eye Naked eye | Medium | Hard+ | Hard |
| 50 mm finder 50mm finder | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| 150 mm telescope 150mm scope | Easy | Easy | Easy |
Easy
Medium
Hard
Very hard
Impossible
Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs
4Visibility
Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.
Best season
Jan – Mar
(peak: Feb)
5Survey Image
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Explore
6
Size Comparison
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7
Compare Stars
8
Spectral Classification
9
Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
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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
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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From birth in a nebula to spectacular death — how stars are born, shine, swell, and die, and how to read the clues in their starlight.
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