Omicron Draconis, also known as 47 Draconis, is a double star in the constellation Draco. The primary star shines an orange/red hue.
Also, let’s pretend you are standing on the planet Mercury and not melting. The “north star” on Mercury is Omicron Draconis as it’s the closest star to Mercury’s north celestial pole.
My Observations
| Date | June 25, 2021 |
| Time | 10:51 p.m. |
| Location | Seattle, WA |
| Magnification | 169x |
| Scope | Meade 8″ SCT |
| Eyepiece | 12mm |
| Seeing | Average |
| Transparency | Above Average |
Draco is home to a host of double and multiple star systems of various colors. Omicron Draconis doesn’t disappoint as the primary star is a pretty bright red. The secondary nearby star appears a dim white.
Key Stats
| Constellation | Draco |
| Best Viewing | Late Spring |
| Visual Magnitude | +8.2 | +8.3 |
| Absolute Visual Magnitude | +3.09 |
| Distance from Earth | 340 ly |
| Separation | 37″ | 3930 AU |
| Orbital Period | Unknown |
| Milky Way Location | Orion Spur |
| My Viewing Grade | A- |
Sources and Notes
Photo of Omicron Draconis Banner: Photo by David Ritter and shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
Sketch by Wayne McGraw
AKA: ο Draconis, omi, 47 Draconis, 47 Dra, SAO 31214
The Garden Astronomer 