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Xi Octantis — Star in Octans

Magnitude 5.3m Star Octans (Oct) Visible
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1Physical Properties

Magnitude 5.35
Spectral Type B6IV subgiant
Star Color Blue-white (B-V -0.15)

2Position & Identifiers

RA 22h 50m 22.9s
Dec -80° 07' 27.0"
Constellation Octans (Oct)
HR 8663
HIP 112781
HD 215573
SAO 258946
Bayer Xi
SIMBAD

3How easy to spot?

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Equipment Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
Naked eye Medium Hard+ 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 Jul – Sep (peak: Aug)

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

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.

Epsilon Oct
Medium
Semi-regular variable, range 4.6–5.3
Variable Star mag 5.10 1.3° Octans
Lambda Oct
Easy
Easy double, sep 3.3″
Double Star mag 5.29 3.4° Octans
NGC 6920
Medium
Bright spiral galaxy
Galaxy mag 11.97 5.4° Octans
NGC 339
Hard+
Compact globular cluster
Globular Cluster mag 11.9 8.8° Tucana
Show on Map

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The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram — Reading Stars Like a Map
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