Star profile
Lambda Serpens
Nearby starWhat is Lambda Serpens
Lambda Serpentis is one of our neighbours: at only 39 light-years, a yellow dwarf nearly twin of the Sun, just 9% more massive and 6% wider. In 2020 radial-velocity measurements flagged a candidate planet of about 14 Earth masses orbiting it every 15 days, likely a hot Neptune. It is closing on the Solar System at more than 66 km per second — among the swiftest of nearby stars.
Where it is and when to see it
Lambda Serpens 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, when it culminates around midnight.
- From London it culminates about 46° above the horizon.
- From New York it culminates about 57° above the horizon.
- From Sydney it culminates about 49° above the horizon.
It can be seen from anywhere north of 83° S.
It ranks no. 12 in brightness among the 65 stars of Serpens in our catalogue. To find it, start from Unukalhai, the brightest: it lies about 1° away (a fist at arm's length covers about 10°).
The light you see today left it about 40 years ago.
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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 Lambda Serpens
- Constellation
- Serpens
- Apparent magnitude
- 4.42
- Distance
- 39.5 light years
- Coordinates (J2000)
- RA 236.611° · Dec 7.353°
- Catalogue
- HIP 77257 · HD 141004
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Other stars in Serpens
Serpens has 65 stars in Stelvia's catalogue. Here are a few of them.
- UnukalhaiAlpha Serpens2.63
- Eta Serpens3.23
- Mu Serpens3.54
- GudjaKappa Serpens4.09
- Omicron Serpens4.24
- Nu Serpens4.32
- Iota Serpens4.51
- Zeta Serpens4.62