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Star · K3III

6 Hya

6 Hya is a giant star of spectral type K3III in the constellation Hydra, 421.0 light-years from the Sun.

Other namesHIP 42509
ConstellationHydra
Distance421.0 light-years (129.1 pc)
Apparent magnitudemagnitude 4.98
Absolute magnitudemagnitude −0.57
Spectral typeK3III
Surface temperature3,930 K
Luminosity452 L☉
Radius46 R☉
Mass5.21 M☉ (estimated)
Right ascension (J2000)8h 40m 01.5s
Declination (J2000)−12° 28′ 31″
Space velocity (relative to the Sun)50.4 km/s

In the sky

Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 4.98). Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 78° N. South of latitude 78° S it never sets. It stands highest at midnight in January, the best time to observe it.

Through a telescope from Earth

Light's journey

The light you see tonight set out around the year 1605. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 7.5 million years.

The Sun seen from there

From a planet around 6 Hya, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 10.38, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Delphinus. It would be invisible to the naked eye.

Open in the simulation

Position, brightness and colour from the HYG / AT-HYG catalogue; temperature, luminosity, radius and mass are approximate values computed from these observations.