RA 203.8835° · Dec -4.3899° · star
2 more points to reach Rare.
HD 118218 is an uncommon variable star. It lies about 2,090.7 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Vir, shines at apparent magnitude 8.49 and has spectral type K5.
Its spectrum reads K5 — 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 118218 in the constellation Vir. At apparent magnitude 8.49, it is an easy target for binoculars.
Like any astronomical target, HD 118218 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 118218 scores 32 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the uncommon tier. Another 2 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 7 science badges — Variable star, Distant (over 1,000 light-years), On the zodiac, Orange K-type star, 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.