HD 79940 is a star located in the constellation Lynx. Its designation indicates its inclusion in the Henry Draper Catalogue, a comprehensive stellar catalogue compiled at Harvard College Observatory in the early 20th century. The "HD" prefix is a standard astronomical nomenclature for stars listed in this catalogue.
HD 79940 is classified as an A-type main-sequence star, with a spectral type of A1V. This classification indicates that it is a hydrogen-fusing star that is hotter and more luminous than the Sun. Its effective temperature is estimated to be in the range of 9,000 to 9,500 Kelvin.
With an apparent visual magnitude of approximately 6.13, HD 79940 is near the limit of naked-eye visibility under ideal dark sky conditions, often requiring binoculars or a small telescope for observation. Based on parallax measurements, its distance from Earth is estimated to be around 150 to 160 parsecs, which translates to approximately 490 to 520 light-years. Currently, there are no confirmed exoplanets orbiting HD 79940, nor is it known to be part of a close binary or multiple-star system.