RA 312.4052° · Dec -80.1336° · star
1 more point to reach Uncommon.
HD 196818 is a common variable star. It lies about 683.8 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Oct, shines at apparent magnitude 7.91 and has spectral type K0IIIp.
Its spectrum reads K0IIIp — 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 196818 in the constellation Oct. At apparent magnitude 7.91, it is an easy target for binoculars.
Like any astronomical target, HD 196818 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 196818 scores 21 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the common tier. Another 1 point would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 5 science badges — Variable star, Orange K-type star, Giant 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.