RA 274.5246° · Dec -12.2426° · star
6 more points to reach Epic.
HD 167971 is a rare variable star. It lies about 2,160 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Ser, shines at apparent magnitude 7.38 and has spectral type O8/9f.
Its spectrum reads O8/9f — an O-type star — the hottest, rarest main class there is. Fewer than one star in a million is an O, and none of them lasts long.
Look for HD 167971 in the constellation Ser. At apparent magnitude 7.38, it is an easy target for binoculars.
Like any astronomical target, HD 167971 is best seen from a dark site away from city lights, and when it is above the horizon depends on your latitude and the time of year. The visibility panel above works out tonight's viewing window for your saved location.
HD 167971 scores 44 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the rare tier. Another 6 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 5 science badges — Variable star, Distant (over 1,000 light-years), Blazing O-type star, Gently variable and A named variable star — each earned for a real, measurable property of the object. Rarity on Spacedle is never random: the more remarkable an object's astrophysics, the more badges it collects, the higher it scores, and the rarer it ranks.