Hercules X-1
Also known as Her X-1
Hercules X-1 is an X-ray binary star in the constellation Hercules, about 21,530 light-years from Earth.
X-ray pulsar feeding on a companion star
Facts
| Type | X-ray binary star (spectral type B3/6ep) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Hercules |
| Position (J2000) | 16h 57m 49s, +35° 20′ |
| Distance | 21,530 light-years (its light set off about 21,530 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 13.63 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Studied in | 2,192 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Hercules X-1 is highest in the sky at midnight in June. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 75° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 75°. To see it you need a large telescope or long-exposure photos.
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 Hercules
- Great Hercules Cluster (M13)
- Hercules A
- Hercules Cluster
- Kornephoros
- M92 (NGC 6341)
- Markarian 501
- Rasalgethi
- Sarin
Everything in Hercules · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · Data sources & credits