As backyard astronomers saunter through the high northern summer skies, they eventually meet eye-to-eye with ancient Draco the Dragon. Within the circumpolar constellation lies a wealth of stars and deep sky objects, including carbon stars such as UX Draconis. UX Draconis is a pulsating and variable carbon star that shines with a rich orange-red color for all to enjoy.
UX Draconis shines at an average magnitude of +6.2, but since it’s a variable star, its magnitude range is between +5.94 to +7.1. It’s classified as a C-N5 star with a “cool” temperature of 3,480 Kelvin.1
My Observations
| Date | July 3, 2023 |
| Time | 11:30 p.m. |
| Location | Seattle, WA |
| Magnification | 169x |
| Scope | Meade 8″ SCT |
| Eyepiece | 12mm |
| Seeing | Above Average |
| Transparency | Average |
I’ve seen other carbon stars that almost look like cherry red. For me, UX Draconis falls in line with the more orange variety like VY Ursae Majoris. It still makes for a lovely fine on late summer nights.
Key Stats
| Constellation | Draco |
| Best Viewing | Summer |
| Visual Magnitude | +6.23 |
| Absolute Visual Magnitude | -1.7 |
| Distance from Earth | 1300 ly |
| Milky Way Location | Orion Spur |
| My Viewing Grade | B |
| Designations | UX Dra, SAO 9404, HD 183556, HIP 95154 |
Sources and Notes
The banner with a red star is based on an image in the public domain in the United States because it was solely created by NASA. View source file.
1 Universe Guide. (2023, July 6). UX Draconis Star Facts (distance, colour, Radius & More). Universe Guide. https://www.universeguide.com/star/95154/uxdraconis
Sketch by Wayne McGraw
The Garden Astronomer 
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