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WX Mensae — Star in Mensa

Magnitude 5.8m Star Mensa (Men) Visible
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1Physical Properties

Magnitude 5.78
Variable Type Slow Irregular Variable
Spectral Type M3III giant
Star Color Red (B-V 1.71)

2Position & Identifiers

RA 05h 34m 44.7s
Dec -73° 44' 29.0"
Constellation Mensa (Men)
HR 1964
HIP 26169
HD 37993
SAO 256208
Variable ID WX Men
SIMBAD

3How easy to spot?

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Equipment Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
Naked eye Hard+ Hard V. hard+
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 Nov – Jan (peak: Dec)

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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Read: The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram — Reading Stars Like a Map
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

Discover

14Stellar Notes

Lb?, amp. 0.15V, 0.08R.

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.

IC 2146
Hard+
Open cluster
Open Cluster mag 12.41 1.1° Mensa
NGC 2173
Hard+
Compact globular cluster
Globular Cluster mag 11.88 1.8° Mensa
NGC 2018
Medium
Emission nebula — try an OIII filter
Emission Nebula mag 10.89 2.7° Mensa
NGC 2069
Medium+
Diffuse nebula
Diffuse Nebula mag 10.10 4.8° Dorado
Show on Map

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