Kochab

HR 5563 · HIP 72607 · β UMi

👁️ Naked-eye

📋 A written introduction is coming — for now this page shows official values only.

Star

Apparent magnitude: 2.08 mag
Parallax: 24.91 mas → about 130.9 light-years away
Spectral type: K4IIIvar
Right ascension: 222.6764°
Declination: 74.1555°
Designation: HR 5563
Bayer designation: β UMi
HIP number: 72607
IAU name adopted: 2016-07-20
Name language: Arabic
Name origin (IAU): Applied to β UMi in Early Modern times and of uncertam derivation. It is probably from one of the names Alrucaba, Rucaba, etc., that were first applied to θ UMa, then to α UMi, in medieval times. However, the name may also be from the Arabic word kaukab, or the Hebrew word kokhabh, both meaning "star."

Constellation

Light from this object takes about 131 years to reach Earth — the light you see tonight left around AD 1895 (official distance ÷ speed of light).
At magnitude 2.1 it is bright enough for the naked eye (limit about 6) — look from somewhere dark.
Declination 74.2° — from Seoul (37.6° N) it never sets and circles the northern sky all night.

Worked out from this object's official values.