Lep 9Bet Lep
Nihal, a relatively young and fascinating star, is designated as a magnitude 7.821. Orbiting in the constellation Lep, located within the northern sky, Nihal appears to be relatively close to us in the Milky Way galaxy. Given its relatively high magnitude, it’s easily visible even for a keen observer with a dark-skying location. Observations show it’s situated approximately 37 light-hours away, placing it in a sweet spot for observing in the southern hemisphere, where it is most frequently visible.
Nihal's apparent brightness stems directly from its location, and because it’s relatively young, we understand it is quite bright. It's recognized as an intermediate-sized main sequence star, which means it falls somewhere between the main-sequence stars of small and medium-sized stars. This relative brightness combined with its location within a visually significant region helps to enhance its observable prominence. Due to being in the constellation Lep, it tends to track the movement of the Pleiades cluster, a prominent stellar grouping located just eastward, and is relatively stable in its configuration.
Ultimately, a small observer may choose Nihal as a symbol, noting the star's prominence amidst the sheer expanse of the universe. The sheer number of luminous objects exists; it represents one of many significant lights in a grand, endless expanse of sky.
How to see it
Nihal has a visual magnitude of about 7.82: it usually needs binoculars or a small telescope, especially from light-polluted sites.
Sky position
Equatorial coordinates for Nihal: right ascension 5h 28m 15s, declination −20° 45′ 33″ (J2000), in the region of the Lepus constellation (IAU figure Lep).
Catalog context
Nihal. It appears in classical and modern catalogs as Bayer/Flamsteed designation 9Bet Lep, HIP 25606, HD 36079, Gaia DR3 2968097043227107840. In the SkyKeepsake Lepus (Lep) browse hub it sits with other stars of the same IAU figure.
Catalog identifiers
- Gaia
- Gaia DR3 2968097043227107840
- HIP
- 25606
- HD
- 36079
- gaia_dr3
- 2968097043227107840
- Bayer / Flamsteed
- 9Bet Lep
Also known as
- 9Bet Lep
- Gaia DR3 TOP 5M 2968097043227107840
- HD 36079
- HIP 25606
Observed properties
- Visual magnitude
- 7.82