ξ Hydrae (xi Hydrae)

ξ Hydrae is a double giant star in the constellation of Hydra.

ξ Hydrae visual magnitude is 3.54. Because of its moderate brightness, ξ Hydrae should be easily visible from locations with dark skyes, while it can be barely visible, or not visible at all, from skyes affected by light pollution.

The table below summarizes the key facts about ξ Hydrae:

Color of ξ Hydrae ⬤

Magnitude of ξ Hydrae 3.54

Class Giant

VISIBILITY RIGHT NOW ξ Hydrae (xi Hydrae) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change].

Celestial coordinates and finder chart of ξ Hydrae

ξ Hydrae is situated south of the celestial equator, as such, it is more easily visible from the southern emisphere. Celestial coordinates for the J2000 equinox as well as galactic coordinates of ξ Hydrae are provided in the following table:

Right Ascension J2000 11h 33m 00s

Declination J2000 -31° 51’ 28”

Galactic Longitude 284.08°

Galactic Latitude 28.13°

Constellation Hydra

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

Simplified finder chart for ξ Hydrae (xi Hydrae).

Visibility of ξ Hydrae from your location

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

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

Azimuth: 121.9° RISE 21:15

Max altitude: 6.7° TRANSIT 23:48

Azimuth: 238.1° SET 2:26

RIGHT NOW ξ Hydrae (xi Hydrae) is below the horizon from Greenwich, United Kingdom

Digitized Sky Survey image of ξ Hydrae

The image below is a photograph of ξ 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 ξ Hydrae is -0.206 arcsec per year in Right Ascension and -0.04 arcsec per year in Declination and the associated displacement for the next 1000 years is represented with the red arrow.

DSS2 image of ξ Hydrae. The red arrow shows the motion of ξ Hydrae during the next 1000 years (-3.43 arcmin in Right Ascension and -0.67 arcmin in declination);

Distance of ξ Hydrae from the Sun and relative movement

ξ Hydrae is distant 129.21 light years from the Sun and it is moving towards the Sun at the speed of 5 kilometers per second.

Distance (parsec) 39.64 pc

Distance (light year) 129.21 ly

Heliocentric radial velocity -5 km/s

Proper Motion RA -0.206 arcsec/year

Proper Motion Dec -0.04 arcsec/year

Spectral properties of ξ Hydrae

ξ Hydrae belongs to spectral class G7 and has a luminosity class of III corresponding to a giant star.

Absolute magnitude 0.55

Spectral Type G7III

Color Index (B-V) 0.94

Temperature of ξ Hydrae 4892K

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

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

ξ Hydrae star system properties

ξ Hydrae 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 ξ Hydrae double sysyem:

Main star magnitude 3.54

Secondary star magnitude 10.54

Magnitude difference 7

Separation 68.2 arcsec

Alternative designations of ξ Hydrae

Bayer designation ξ Hydrae
(xi Hydrae)

Henry Draper Catalogue HD100407

SAO Catalogue SAO202558

Hipparcos Catalogue HIP56343

Durchmusterung Catalogue CD-31 9083

FK5 Catalogue 434

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