UMi—Funi is a relatively nearby star, located within the constellation Ursa Minor, also known as the Little Bear. It’s a visual magnitude of 8.597, making it fairly bright for a star of its magnitude, but relatively faint. The star measures 221.6 light ye
Funi is recognisable by its position within the Ursa Minor constellation due to its characteristic brightness and established placement relative to several other prominent stars in the night sky. The star’s prominence in the heavens is linked to its proximity and the large number of stars it's alongside in this area of the Milky Way, suggesting it’s a relatively stable and significant visual point for observant observers. Its spectral type is thought to be a fairly steady yellow, although these details are not fully understood due to its distance.
Given the relatively low luminosity, considering the distance, and the historical significance of the Ursa Minor constellation, Funi could serve as a deeply meaningful focal point for dedicated observers. The subtle shifts in its brightness, even over timescales spanning centuries, have inspired artistic renderings and astronomical discourse – a small distance and a lasting, quiet prominence amongst similar stars.
How to see it
Funi has a visual magnitude of about 8.60: it is a telescope star and remains difficult or invisible to the naked eye even in good conditions.
Sky position
Equatorial coordinates for Funi: right ascension 12h 32m 7s, declination +74° 29′ 22″ (J2000), in the region of the Ursa Minor constellation (IAU figure UMi).
Catalog context
Funi. It appears in classical and modern catalogs as HIP 61177, HD 109246, Gaia DR3 1692267077979468544. In the SkyKeepsake Ursa Minor (UMi) browse hub it sits with other stars of the same IAU figure.
Catalog identifiers
- Gaia
- Gaia DR3 1692267077979468544
- HIP
- 61177
- HD
- 109246
- gaia_dr3
- 1692267077979468544
Also known as
- Gaia DR3 TOP 5M 1692267077979468544
- HD 109246
- HIP 61177
Observed properties
- Visual magnitude
- 8.60