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Star · K2

HIP 68581

HIP 68581 is a supergiant star of spectral type K2 in the constellation Hydra, 489.3 light-years from the Sun.

ConstellationHydra
Distance489.3 light-years (150.0 pc)
Apparent magnitudemagnitude 5.47
Absolute magnitudemagnitude −0.41
Spectral typeK2
Surface temperature4,070 K
Luminosity333 L☉
Radius36.7 R☉
Mass4.77 M☉ (estimated)
Right ascension (J2000)14h 02m 22.8s
Declination (J2000)−27° 25′ 47″
Space velocity (relative to the Sun)23.1 km/s

In the sky

Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 5.47). Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 63° N. South of latitude 63° S it never sets. It stands highest at midnight in April, the best time to observe it.

Through a telescope from Earth

Light's journey

The light you see tonight set out around the year 1537. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 8.7 million years.

The Sun seen from there

From a planet around HIP 68581, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 10.71, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Aries. 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.