Star profile
Gamma Hydrus
Cool red starWhat is Gamma Hydrus
Gamma Hydri is a red giant of M-type in the small southern constellation of the male Water Snake, traced by Dutch navigators in the late sixteenth century. About 214 light-years away, its coppery hue stands out against the deep skies near the south celestial pole. An aged star drifting beyond the main sequence, its swollen surface foreshadows the fate of most modest stars —to expand, cool and glow red before the long silence.
Where it is and when to see it
Gamma Hydrus lies in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is August, when it culminates around midnight.
- From London it never rises above the horizon.
- From New York it never rises above the horizon.
- From Sydney it never sets and culminates about 50° up.
It can be seen from anywhere south of 16° N.
It ranks no. 3 in brightness among the 20 stars of Hydrus in our catalogue. To find it, start from Beta Hydrus, the brightest: it lies about 12° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 210 years ago.
It opens in your browser. Free, no account, nothing to install.
Leave your signature on Gamma Hydrus
Your name and a message go up on the map for everyone to read. Signing is free.
Without a lock, someone else can replace your signature. How the lock works
We'll ask for an email to confirm it's you, no password.
A public signature from a real person. The chosen name is a symbolic denomination within Stelvia, with no official standing or IAU recognition: the sky is not for sale and belongs to no one.
Astronomical data for Gamma Hydrus
- Constellation
- Hydrus
- Apparent magnitude
- 3.26
- Distance
- 214.0 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 56.809° · Dec -74.239°
- Catalogue
- HIP 17678 · HD 24512
A symbolic commemorative gift: neither the signature nor the chosen name implies ownership of the star or recognition by the IAU.
Other stars in Hydrus
Hydrus has 20 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- Beta Hydrus2.82
- Alpha Hydrus2.86
- Delta Hydrus4.08
- Epsilon Hydrus4.12
- Eta 2 Hydrus4.68
- Nu Hydrus4.76
- Zeta Hydrus4.83
- Lambda Hydrus5.09