SkyKeepsake page about the star Ramus.
Ramus is a constellation located in the Small Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy relatively close to the Milky Way. Often called “102 Her,” Ramus is a relatively faint blue-white star with a magnitude of 4.334. It is estimated to be located approximately 1163 light years from Earth. Ramus possesses a measured parallax of 2.804 mas. While it is a small member of the Lyr constellation, its precise nature within the Milky Way system is still a subject of scientific investigation.
The star Ramus is recognizable primarily through its brightness. It appears to be a relatively cool and reliable visual marker within the sky – a bright, relatively steady source of light. The apparent arrangement of its stars has resulted in identifying it as a member of the Lyr constellation, though distinct spectral analysis hasn't yet confirmed the precise identity of its fundamental spectral signature within the Milky Way. Recent observations suggest it emits substantial amounts of stellar spectral lines characteristic of a G-type star.
Someone might choose Ramus as a symbolic dedication, highlighting the concept of enduring light in a vast and ultimately unchanging universe. The relatively distant nature of the constellation and this star adds to the sense of eternity, a perspective rarely readily available within this cosmos.
How to see it
Ramus has a visual magnitude of about 4.33: under a reasonably dark sky it is typically reachable with the unaided eye.
Sky position
Equatorial coordinates for Ramus: right ascension 18h 8m 45s, declination +20° 48′ 52″ (J2000), in the region of the Lyra constellation (IAU figure Lyr).
Catalog context
Ramus. It appears in classical and modern catalogs as Bayer/Flamsteed designation 102 Her, HIP 88886, HD 166182, Gaia DR3 4528147293916651776. In the SkyKeepsake Lyra (Lyr) browse hub it sits with other stars of the same IAU figure.
Catalog identifiers
- Gaia
- Gaia DR3 4528147293916651776
- HIP
- 88886
- HD
- 166182
- gaia_dr3
- 4528147293916651776
- Bayer / Flamsteed
- 102 Her
Observed properties
- Visual magnitude
- 4.33