Delta Aquarii

δ Aquarii, also known as Skat, is a bright star in the constellation Aquarius.

Naming and mythology

The third brightest star of Aquarius was named Scheat and, more recently, Skat after the Arabic name Al Shiʼat (Wish) or, alternatively, Al Ṣāk, indicating its location near the shin of the cup-bearer.

Observational attributes

Skat can be found in the southern part of Aquarius at the celestial coordinates R.A. 22^h 54^m 39.0^s and Dec. -15° 49ˈ 15ˈˈ. It shines at apparent magnitude +3.27 and its measured parallax is 0.038ˈˈ from which a distance of some 86 light years can be derived.

Physical characteristics

δ Aquarii is a white star of spectral type A3V. The star shows very slight variations in its brightness, fluctuating a mere 0.04 magnitudes.