Barnard's Star
Product information
Description
Though invisible to the naked eye, Barnard’s Star is a dim red dwarf that quietly races through space, just under 6 light-years from Earth. It appears faint and reddish through a telescope, set against a sparse backdrop of stars.
Additional Information
- Constellation
- Ophiuchus
- Spectral Type
- M4Ve
- Apparent Magnitude
- 9.5
- Distance (Light Years)
- 5.96
- Right Ascension
- 17h 57m 48.5s
- Declination
- +04° 41′ 36″
- Solar Masses
- 0.144
- Radius (Solar)
- 0.2
- Temperature (Kelvin)
- 3134
- Age (Million Years)
- 7000
Discovery
- Ancient Civilizations
- Modern discovery
- Historical Significance
- Discovered in the early 20th century, Barnard’s Star is one of the nearest stars to Earth and became famous for its record-breaking proper motion, helping astronomers study stellar kinematics.
Cultural Significance
- Mythology
- As a modern discovery, Barnard’s Star does not have historical mythological associations.
- Navigation
- Due to its faintness, it was not used in traditional navigation but is now a key object in astrometric studies.
- Modern Reference
- Barnard’s Star is frequently referenced in science fiction and is a prominent target in nearby exoplanet research.
Notable Features
- Stellar Motion
- Barnard’s Star has the highest known proper motion of any star, moving rapidly across the sky relative to background stars.
- Additional Fact
- It is among the closest stars to the Sun and has been a focus of exoplanet and interstellar mission discussions.
User Dedications
- Dedications
- This star has not been claimed yet. Be the first to dedicate it to someone special!