RA 86.3072° · Dec 24.4201° · star
7 more points to reach Anomaly.
HD 38218 is an epic variable star. It lies about 1,418.1 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Tau, shines at apparent magnitude 8.22 and has spectral type C5II.
Its spectrum reads C5II — a carbon star, wrapped in so much soot that its light is filtered to a deep ruby red.
Look for HD 38218 in the constellation Tau. At apparent magnitude 8.22, it is an easy target for binoculars.
Like any astronomical target, HD 38218 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 38218 scores 71 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the epic tier. Another 7 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 8 science badges — Variable star, Distant (over 1,000 light-years), On the zodiac, Carbon star (sooty red), Bright giant, Deep red star, Strongly 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.