Star · K0III
λ Hya
λ Hya is a giant star of spectral type K0III in the constellation Hydra, 108.6 light-years from the Sun.
| Other names | HIP 49841 |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Hydra |
| Distance | 108.6 light-years (33.3 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 3.61 |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude 1.00 |
| Spectral type | K0III |
| Surface temperature | 4,730 K |
| Luminosity | 54 L☉ |
| Radius | 11 R☉ |
| Mass | 2.84 M☉ (estimated) |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 10h 10m 35.3s |
| Declination (J2000) | −12° 21′ 14″ |
| Space velocity (relative to the Sun) | 41.2 km/s |
In the sky
Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 3.61). 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 February, the best time to observe it.
Through a telescope from Earth
Light's journey
The light you see tonight set out around the year 1917. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 1.9 million years.
The Sun seen from there
From a planet around λ Hya, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 7.44, in the direction where our sky has the constellation Pegasus. It would be invisible to the naked eye.
Neighbours
Its nearest neighbours in the catalogue (within 20 light-years):
- HIP 48953 8.03 light-years
- SIMP J10043728-1127342 8.15 light-years
- Gl 388.2 9.27 light-years
- HIP 49728 10.0 light-years
- HIP 49350 11.8 light-years
- 2MASS J09532126-1014205 12.2 light-years
- HIP 51884 12.9 light-years
- HIP 51931 13.0 light-years
Position, brightness and colour from the HYG / AT-HYG catalogue; temperature, luminosity, radius and mass are approximate values computed from these observations.