Star profile

Unukalhai

Alpha Serpens · Serpens

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

What is Unukalhai

Unukalhai is an orange class-K giant resting 74 light-years away, close enough that its hue is visible without instruments. Its Arabic name, «'unuq al-hayya», means «the serpent's neck», and marks the exact point where Serpens bends in the sky between the head and body of the mythological reptile. It is the only truly bright star in an otherwise discreet constellation, which is why it stands out with the steadiness of an eye opened in the dark.

Where it is and when to see it

Unukalhai lies in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is visible to the naked eye under a dark sky. Its best month of the year is May: the Sun sits at the opposite point of the sky and the star culminates around midnight. How high it climbs above the horizon depends on the latitude you watch from.

Find it on the sky map

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The signature wall

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A signature without a lock can be replaced by someone else's. The lock makes the signature permanent and lets you choose a symbolic name for the star, always shown next to the star's catalogue identifier. How the lock works

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Write my signature

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 Unukalhai

Constellation: Serpens
Apparent magnitude: 2.63
Distance: 74.0 light years
Coordinates (J2000): RA 236.067° · Dec 6.426°
Catalogue: HIP 77070 · HD 140573

A symbolic commemorative gift: neither the signature nor the chosen name implies ownership of the star or recognition by the IAU.

Other stars in Serpens

Serpens has 65 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.

See all 65 stars in Serpens