help

How to Find Properties of Stars

-- James Lehr Miller | October 3, 2021

Question:

Just for fun I purchased a Star from that name-a-star company for my daughter. It is in her zodiac sign of Libra and is fairly faint. Am trying desperately to find more information on it, other then just its position and brightness. I am a space artist and would like to include my interpretation of a supposed habitable planet in orbit around it. But, I need the star type, spectral class and whatever other pertinent info. I can get. From which I can deduce what that planet in its habitable zone might look like. I have scoured all of my books, charts and atlases but no luck. Where might I go to get this figured out? Thank you for your time. I am also an advanced Public Astronomer and have worked several major public observatories. One at Goldendale, Washington and the other up at Kitt Peak. So, ya, I know my stuff. Mostly anyway. Just need a little bit more help is all. Thanks

-- James Lehr Miller

Answer:

You might try the Simbad database (http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/) to find the properties of the star you are interested in. I think that starting with the “basic” search is a good place to start. Good luck!

-- Jeff Mangum

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