About Ross 154
Ross 154 is a rare variable star. It lies about 9.7 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Sgr, shines at apparent magnitude 10.37 and has spectral type M3.5Ve.
One of the closest objects of its kind to the Sun.
Rare variable star 38 EP
Ross 154
RA 282.4555° · Dec -23.8362° · star
Score breakdown
· 3 badgesRare 46 pts → Epic
- Stellar next door (<10 ly) +25
- Has a proper name +8
- Variable star +5
Total score 38
8 more points to reach Epic.
Badges
- Variable star · +5
- Stellar next door (<10 ly) · +25
- Has a proper name · +8
Trivia
What makes it special
- Next-door neighbour. One of the closest objects of its kind to the Sun.
Could we get there?
- Verdict. A multi-generation starship could one day attempt the crossing.
Getting there
- Aboard Voyager 1. ≈ 170.2 thousand years at Voyager 1's speed (17 km/s).
- Fastest probe ever. ≈ 15.1 thousand years even at the Parker Solar Probe's 192 km/s.
- At 10% light speed. ≈ 96.9 years in a starship at a tenth of light speed.
- Distance. 9.7 light-years from Earth.
Look-back time
- Look-back time. The light you'd see left around the year 2016.
Saying hello
- Say hello. A radio message and its reply would take 19.4 years round-trip.
How we found it
- Named. Notable enough to have earned a proper name, not just a catalogue number.
Properties
- absmag
- 13.006
- bv
- 1.51
- constellation
- Sgr
- dist ly
- 9.6862
- mag
- 10.37
- name
- Ross 154
- named
- yes
- spect
- M3.5Ve
How to see it
Look for Ross 154 in the constellation Sgr. At apparent magnitude 10.37, a small backyard telescope will bring it into view.
Like any astronomical target, Ross 154 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.
Why Ross 154 is a rare variable star
Ross 154 scores 38 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the rare tier. Another 8 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 3 science badges — Variable star, Stellar next door (<10 ly) and Has a proper name — 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.