Star · K4III
μ Hya
μ Hya is a giant star of spectral type K4III in the constellation Hydra, 243.9 light-years from the Sun.
| Other names | HIP 51069 |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Hydra |
| Distance | 243.9 light-years (74.8 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude | magnitude 3.83 |
| Absolute magnitude | magnitude −0.54 |
| Spectral type | K4III |
| Surface temperature | 3,860 K |
| Luminosity | 474 L☉ |
| Radius | 48.7 R☉ |
| Mass | 5.28 M☉ (estimated) |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 10h 26m 05.4s |
| Declination (J2000) | −16° 50′ 11″ |
| Space velocity (relative to the Sun) | 67.0 km/s |
In the sky
Visible to the naked eye under a dark sky (apparent magnitude 3.83). Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 73° N. South of latitude 73° 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 1782. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 4.3 million years.
The Sun seen from there
From a planet around μ Hya, the Sun would look like a star of magnitude 9.20, 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 50701 6.96 light-years
- HIP 51704 8.97 light-years
- HIP 51125 9.74 light-years
- HIP 50627 12.5 light-years
- HIP 50756 16.1 light-years
- HIP 51789 18.3 light-years
- HIP 51852 18.9 light-years
Position, brightness and colour from the HYG / AT-HYG catalogue; temperature, luminosity, radius and mass are approximate values computed from these observations.