RA 14.2310° · Dec -51.8755° · star
5 more points to reach Uncommon.
HD 5578 is a common variable star. It lies about 132.5 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Phe, shines at apparent magnitude 8.99 and has spectral type K3/K4V.
Its spectrum reads K3/K4V — 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 5578 in the constellation Phe. At apparent magnitude 8.99, it is an easy target for binoculars.
Like any astronomical target, HD 5578 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 5578 scores 17 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the common tier. Another 5 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 5 science badges — Variable star, Orange K-type star, Main-sequence 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.