RA 207.2583° · Dec -28.3676° · star
13 more points to reach Epic.
HD 120285 is a rare variable star. It lies about 340.1 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Hya, shines at apparent magnitude 7.46 and has spectral type M7e.
Its spectrum reads M7e — an M-type red star — and M stars are the silent majority: roughly three of every four stars in the galaxy are one.
Look for HD 120285 in the constellation Hya. At apparent magnitude 7.46, it is an easy target for binoculars.
Like any astronomical target, HD 120285 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 120285 scores 37 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the rare tier. Another 13 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 6 science badges — Variable star, Cool red M-type star, Deep red star, Red dwarf, 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.