giant · A5III
Rasalhague
Rasalhague is a blue-white giant (spectral type A5III) about 49 light-years away. With an apparent magnitude of 2.08 it is easy to see even from a city.
The brightest star in Ophiuchus. Its name means "head of the serpent charmer".
Its light output is roughly 30 times that of the Sun (a rough estimate in visible light, calculated from brightness and distance).
From Germany (52° N) it rises and sets; it is best seen in the evening in June.
Key facts
- Distance
- ≈ 49 light-years
- Spectral type
- A5III (giant)
- Colour
- Blue-white
- Apparent magnitude
- 2.08 mag
- Luminosity
- ≈ 30 × Sun
- Position
- Right ascension 17h 35m, declination 12.6°
More well-known stars
Data: Hipparcos / HYG catalogue (CC BY-SA 4.0). Luminosity and visibility are calculated estimates.