RA 29.5157° · Dec 31.1344° · star
11 more points to reach Rare.
HD 11961 is an uncommon variable star. It lies about 638.3 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Tri, shines at apparent magnitude 6.94 and has spectral type M5III.
Its spectrum reads M5III — 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 HD 11961 in the constellation Tri. At apparent magnitude 6.94, it is an easy target for binoculars.
Like any astronomical target, HD 11961 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 11961 scores 23 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the uncommon tier. Another 11 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 5 science badges — Variable star, Cool red M-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.