RA 129.6805° · Dec -47.7879° · star
3 more points to reach Epic.
HD 73884 is a rare variable star. It lies about 2,380.7 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Vel, shines at apparent magnitude 7.88 and has spectral type K2Ib BaO.
Its spectrum reads K2Ib BaO — 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 73884 in the constellation Vel. At apparent magnitude 7.88, it is an easy target for binoculars.
Like any astronomical target, HD 73884 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 73884 scores 47 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the rare tier. Another 3 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 7 science badges — Variable star, Distant (over 1,000 light-years), Orange K-type star, Supergiant, 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.