RA 278.7842° · Dec 0.0430° · star
9 more points to reach Uncommon.
HD 171491 is a common variable star. It lies about 2,508.9 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Ser, shines at apparent magnitude 7.94 and has spectral type B5.
HD 171491 is a common variable star worth 15 points across 2 science badges. Explore its facts, badges and place on the sky map, then add it to your dex on Spacedle.
Look for HD 171491 in the constellation Ser. At apparent magnitude 7.94, it is an easy target for binoculars.
Like any astronomical target, HD 171491 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 171491 scores 15 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the common tier. Another 9 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 2 science badges — Variable star and Distant (>1000 ly) — 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.