Alphard - α Hydrae (alpha Hydrae)
Alphard, also designated as α Hydrae (alpha Hydrae), is a variable and multiple bright giant star in the constellation of Hydra.
Alphard visual magnitude is 1.98, making it the 45th brightest star in the sky. Thanks to its high brightness, Alphard is clearly visible when observed from locations with dark skies, and should be also quite easily visible from light polluted areas.
The proper motion of Alphard is -0.014 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and 0.033 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 10000 years is represented with the red arrow.
Key facts about Alphard
Alphard - α Hydrae (alpha Hydrae) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom.
Altitude: -44.9°
Azimuth: 24.2°
Direction: North-North-East
Celestial coordinates and finder chart of Alphard
Alphard 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 Alphard are provided in the following table:
The simplified sky map below shows the position of Alphard in the sky:
Visibility of Alphard from your location
Location: Greenwich, United Kingdom
Latitude: 51° 28’ 47” N
Longitude: 0° 00’ 00” E
Timezone: Europe/London
Today's Alphard - α Hydrae (alpha Hydrae) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom are the following (all times relative to the local timezone Europe/London):
Distance of Alphard from the Sun and relative movement
Alphard is distant 177.17 light years from the Sun and it is moving towards the Sun at the speed of 4 kilometers per second.
Spectral properties of Alphard
Alphard belongs to spectral class K3 and has a luminosity class of II corresponding to a bright giant star.
The red dot in the diagram below shows where Alphard is situated in the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram.
Alphard star system properties
Alphard is a visual double star which can be observed only with the help of very large telescopes. The table below shows key information about the Alphard double sysyem: