RA 131.2228° · Dec -46.3430° · star
11 more points to reach Epic.
HD 74884 is a rare variable star. It lies about 3,048.2 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Vel, shines at apparent magnitude 8.34 and has spectral type F8II.
Its spectrum reads F8II — an F-type star — a little hotter, whiter and shorter-lived than the Sun.
Look for HD 74884 in the constellation Vel. At apparent magnitude 8.34, it is an easy target for binoculars.
Like any astronomical target, HD 74884 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 74884 scores 39 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the rare tier. Another 11 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 6 science badges — Variable star, Distant (over 1,000 light-years), Yellow-white F-type star, Bright giant, 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.