RA 275.8330° · Dec -20.6536° · star
4 more points to reach Epic.
HD 168988 is a rare variable star. It lies about 2,548.1 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Sgr, shines at apparent magnitude 7.63 and has spectral type K5/M0III:.
Its spectrum reads K5/M0III: — a K-type star. Orange K dwarfs are the marathon runners of the galaxy, burning steadily for tens of billions of years.
Look for HD 168988 in the constellation Sgr. At apparent magnitude 7.63, it is an easy target for binoculars.
Like any astronomical target, HD 168988 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 168988 scores 46 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the rare tier. Another 4 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 9 science badges — Variable star, Distant (over 1,000 light-years), Toward the galactic centre, On the zodiac, Orange K-type star, Giant star, Deep red star and Gently variable — 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.