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Xi Serpentis — Star in Serpens

Magnitude 3.5m Star Serpens (Ser) Visible
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1Physical Properties

Magnitude 3.54
Variable Type Delta Scuti (Pulsating)
Spectral Type A9IIIp(Sr) bright giant
Star Color Yellow-white (B-V 0.26)
Distance 109 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 17h 37m 35.2s
Dec -15° 23' 55.0"
Constellation Serpens (Ser)
HR 6561
HIP 86263
HD 159876
SAO 160700
Bayer Xi
Flamsteed 55 Ser
SIMBAD

3How easy to spot?

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Equipment Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
Naked eye Easy Easy 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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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

Delta Sct?, 3.52 - 3.54V.
Visual companion optical.
2.2923d, K 19.4k/s, V0 -42.8k/s, asini 0.612.
Hyades moving group.
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.

NGC 6356
Easy
Globular cluster — dense ball of ancient stars
Globular Cluster mag 8.4 4.1° Ophiuchus
NGC 6507
Easy
Open cluster
Open Cluster mag 10.0 5.7° Sagittarius
Sabik
HIP 84012; Eta Ophiuchi; 35 Ophiuchi
Easy
Bright naked-eye star, mag 2.4
Double Star mag 2.43 6.6° Ophiuchus
M20
Trifid Nebula
Easy
Emission nebula — try an OIII filter
Emission Nebula mag 6.3 9.6° Sagittarius
Show on Map

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