RA 331.3188° · Dec 46.7448° · star
3 more points to reach Rare.
HR 8421 is an uncommon variable star. It lies about 994.4 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Lac, shines at apparent magnitude 6.16 and has spectral type M4III.
Its spectrum reads M4III — an M-type red star — and M stars are the silent majority: roughly three of every four stars in the galaxy are one.
Look for HR 8421 in the constellation Lac. At apparent magnitude 6.16, it is an easy target for binoculars.
Like any astronomical target, HR 8421 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.
HR 8421 scores 31 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the uncommon tier. Another 3 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 6 science badges — Variable star, Cool red M-type star, Giant star, Deep red 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.