V856 Scorpii — Variable Star in Scorpius
Good (57/100)
Observe
1Physical Properties
Magnitude
7.05
Range
6.64 - 8.44
Variable Type
UXOR
Spectral Type
A7IVe
supergiant
Star Color
Yellow-white
(B-V 0.36)
2Position & Identifiers
RA
16h 08m 34.2s
Dec
-39° 06' 19.0"
Constellation
Scorpius
(Sco)
HR
5999
HIP
79080
HD
144668
SAO
207367
Variable ID
V856 Sco
Querying VizieR catalog...
3How easy to follow?
Magnitude
7.0 – 7.7 mag
Amplitude
0.7 mag
Period
30 d
Type
UXOR
Sign in
and configure your equipment and default location to see a personalized row.
| Equipment | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naked eye Naked eye | Imp. | Imp. | Imp. |
| 50 mm finder 50mm finder | Medium | Medium | Hard+ |
| 150 mm telescope 150mm scope | Medium | Medium | Medium |
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
Apr – Jun
(peak: May)
5Survey Image
Loading survey image…
6Comparison Stars for V856 Sco (7.0–7.7)
Nearby stable stars for estimating brightness (AAVSO)
Loading comparison stars…
Explore
7
Size Comparison
Querying VizieR for stellar data…
8
Compare Stars
9
Spectral Classification
10
Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
Loading HR diagram…
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
6.97 - 7.71V, about 30d, variability attributed to circumstellar dust. Possibly a binary shell star with mass exchange. | Considerable confusion between HR 5999 and 6000 particularly as to which is the variable and which the brighter. | Originally announced as HR 6000, V856 Sco is really HR 5999, the southern preceding and fainter component C of the | bright double. The error stems from interchanged photometric data in Harvard Annals 45, 197, 1901, all other early | visual and photographic estimates indicating that the S. prec. component is the fainter.
CPM with HR 6000 at 44". CD, 7.1, 11.7v, sep. 1.3".
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.
Eta Lup
Colorful double, sep 14.8″
Double Star
mag 3.41
1.8°
Lupus
NGC 6124
Rich open cluster
Open Cluster
mag 5.8
3.6°
Scorpius
NGC 6139
Globular cluster — dense ball of ancient stars
Globular Cluster
mag 9.2
3.7°
Scorpius
V861 Sco
Eclipsing binary, period 7.8d
Variable Star
mag 6.15
9.4°
Scorpius
GG Lup
Eclipsing binary, period 1.8d
Variable Star
mag 5.59
9.7°
Lupus
Explore Nightbase
Related knowledge, tools, and stories — no observation planning required.
Arthur Eddington
1919 eclipse expedition confirming general relativity; first theory of stellar interiors; the Eddington limit
Biography
Variable Stars — A Guide for Observers
A practical guide to visual observation of variable stars: estimating magnitudes, finding comparison stars, recording data, and contributing to science with AAVSO.
Article
Scorpius
Mythology, bright stars, and deep-sky highlights.
Constellation
