RA 203.3755° · Dec -62.3170° · star
26 more points to reach Anomaly.
HD 117688 is an epic variable star. It lies about 1,988.8 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Cen, shines at apparent magnitude 10.47 and has spectral type WN7.
Its spectrum reads WN7 — a Wolf-Rayet star: a stellar monster shedding its own outer layers in a ferocious wind, on its way to a supernova.
Look for HD 117688 in the constellation Cen. At apparent magnitude 10.47, a small backyard telescope will bring it into view.
Like any astronomical target, HD 117688 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 117688 scores 52 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the epic tier. Another 26 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 5 science badges — Variable star, Distant (over 1,000 light-years), Wolf-Rayet star (shedding itself), 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.