Astronomy and Space

Beta Boötis

Beta Boötis is a star in the northern constellation of Boötes. Its name is a Bayer designation that is Latinised from β Boötis, and abbreviated Beta Boo or β Boo. The star has the official name Nekkar, pronounced , which is derived from an Arabic name for 'the Herdsman'. It has an apparent visual magnitude of 3.5, making it visible to the naked eye and one of the brighter members of the constellation. In the modern constellation, it marks the head of Boötes the herdsman. Based upon parallax measurements obtained by the Gaia spacecraft, this star is approximately 235 light-years (72 parsecs) from the Sun. It is drawing closer to the Sun with a radial velocity of −18 km/s. The magnitude of the star is reduced by 0.06 from extinction caused by intervening gas and dust.

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See also

• ▸1968 in spaceflight
• ▸Ah Men
• ▸Apollo 16

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