Star profile

Ashlesha

Epsilon Hydrae · Hydra

Variable star

3D likeness based on its real data · class G · ~5,500 K

What is Ashlesha

Ashlesha shines with warm yellow light in Hydra, 129 light-years away, and belongs to the family of variable stars whose brightness changes in gentle beats. Its name comes from Sanskrit and designates one of the nakshatras, the lunar mansions of ancient Vedic astronomy: the mansion associated with serpents and secret wisdom. Hydra is the longest constellation in the sky, and Ashlesha pulses along one of its curves, like a slow heartbeat among the scales.

Where it is and when to see it

Ashlesha lies in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is February, when it culminates around midnight.

From London it culminates about 45° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 56° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 50° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere north of 84° S.

It ranks no. 6 in brightness among the 121 stars of Hydra in our catalogue. To find it, start from Alphard, the brightest: it lies about 18° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 130 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Ashlesha

Constellation: Hydra
Apparent magnitude: 3.38
Distance: 129.3 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 131.694° · Dec 6.419°
Catalogue: HIP 43109 · HD 74874

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Other stars in Hydra

Hydra has 121 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 121 stars in Hydra