Ankaa
Also known as α Phe · HR 99
Ankaa is a spectroscopic binary star in the constellation Phoenix, about 82 light-years from Earth.
Facts
| Type | Spectroscopic binary star (spectral type K0.5IIIb) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Phoenix |
| Position (J2000) | 0h 26m 17s, −42° 18′ |
| Distance | 82 light-years (its light set off about 82 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 2.38 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Studied in | 167 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Ankaa is highest in the sky at midnight in September. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 28° above the horizon; from 50° N it never rises. To see it you need the naked eye, even from a town.
Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.
For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.
More in Phoenix
Everything in Phoenix · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · Data sources & credits