Star profile

Psi Hydrae

3D likeness based on its real data · class K · ~4,200 K

What is Psi Hydrae

Psi Hydrae is an orange K1 giant in vast Hydra, the longest constellation in the sky. At 232 light-years, its warm light marks one of the many waypoints where the celestial serpent's body crosses the equator. Faint to the unaided eye —magnitude 4.94— it belongs to that family of ageing stars that have left hydrogen burning behind and slowly swollen toward their final shape.

Where it is and when to see it

Psi Hydrae lies in the southern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is April, when it culminates around midnight.

From London it culminates about 15° above the horizon.
From New York it culminates about 26° above the horizon.
From Sydney it culminates about 79° above the horizon.

It can be seen from anywhere south of 67° N.

It ranks no. 41 in brightness among the 121 stars of Hydra in our catalogue. To find it, start from Alphard, the brightest: it lies about 55° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).

The light you see today left it about 230 years ago.

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Astronomical data for Psi Hydrae

Constellation: Hydra
Apparent magnitude: 4.94
Distance: 231.5 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 197.264° · Dec -23.118°
Catalogue: HIP 64166 · HD 114149

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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