2 Hydrae

2 Hydrae is a variable and double giant star in the constellation of Hydra.

2 Hydrae visual magnitude is 5.59. Because of its reltive faintness, 2 Hydrae should be visible only from locations with dark skyes, while it is not visible at all from skyes affected by light pollution.

The table below summarizes the key facts about 2 Hydrae:

Color of 2 Hydrae ⬤

Magnitude of 2 Hydrae 5.59

Class Giant

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW 2 Hydrae is above the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt. Altitude: 29°.

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of 2 Hydrae

2 Hydrae is situated close to the celestial equator, as such, it is at least partly visible from both hemispheres in certain times of the year. Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox as well as galactic coordinates of 2 Hydrae are provided in the following table:

Right Ascension J2000 08h 26m 27s

Declination J2000 -03° 59’ 14”

Galactic Longitude 227.96°

Galactic Latitude 19.02°

Constellation Hydra

The simplified sky map below shows the position of 2 Hydrae in the sky:

Simplified finder chart for 2 Hydrae.

Visibility of 2 Hydrae from your location

Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London

Today's 2 Hydrae rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom edit_location_alt are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):

Azimuth: 94.0° RISE 11:16

Max altitude: 34.5° TRANSIT 16:54

Azimuth: 266.0° SET 22:32

RIGHT NOW 2 Hydrae is above the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom

Digitized Sky Survey image of 2 Hydrae

The image below is a photograph of 2 Hydrae from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2 - see the credits section) taken in the red channel. The area of sky represented in the image is 0.5x0.5 degrees (30x30 arcmins). The proper motion of 2 Hydrae is -0.053 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and -0.061 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.

DSS2 image of 2 Hydrae. The red arrow shows the motion of 2 Hydrae during the next 10000 years (-8.83 arcmin in Right Ascension and -10.17 arcmin in declination);

Distance of 2 Hydrae from the Sun and relative movement

2 Hydrae is distant 173.13 light years from the Sun and it is moving far from the Sun at the speed of 27 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 53.11 pc

Distance (light year) 173.13 ly

Heliocentric radial velocity 27 km/s

Proper Motion RA -0.053 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec -0.061 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of 2 Hydrae

2 Hydrae belongs to spectral class A5 and has a luminosity class of III corresponding to a giant star.

Absolute magnitude 1.96

Spectral Type A5III

Color Index (B-V) 0.22

Temperature of 2 Hydrae 8011K

The red dot in the diagram below shows where 2 Hydrae is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.

H-R diagram showing the position of 2 Hydrae. Attribution: Richard Powell / CC BY-SA

2 Hydrae star system properties

2 Hydrae is a visual double star which can be observed with binoculars or small telescopes. The table below shows key information about the 2 Hydrae double sysyem:

Main star magnitude 5.59

Secondary star magnitude 9.39

Magnitude difference 3.8

Separation 72.8 arcsec

Alternative designations of 2 Hydrae

Flamsteed designation 2 Hydrae

Henry Draper Catalogue HD71297

SAO Catalogue SAO135916

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP41375

Durchmusterung Catalogue BD-03 2345

General Catalogue of Variable Stars LM Hya

In Evidence

Other stars in Hydra