Menu

Nu Hydri — Star in Hydrus

Magnitude 4.8m Star Hydrus (Hyi) Visible
Star Map
+ List + Plan

Observe

1Physical Properties

Magnitude 4.75
Spectral Type K3III giant
Star Color Red (B-V 1.33)
Distance 297 ly

2Position & Identifiers

RA 02h 50m 28.5s
Dec -75° 04' 01.0"
Constellation Hydrus (Hyi)
HR 872
HIP 13244
HD 18293
SAO 255929
Bayer Nu
SIMBAD

3How easy to spot?

Sign in and configure your equipment and default location to see a personalized row.
Equipment Bortle 3 Bortle 4 Bortle 5
Naked eye Medium+ Medium Hard+
50mm finder Easy Easy Easy
150mm scope Easy Easy Easy
Easy Medium Hard Very hard Impossible

Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs

4Visibility

Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.

Best season Sep – Nov (peak: Oct)

5Survey Image

Loading survey image…

Explore

6

Size Comparison

Querying VizieR for stellar data…
7

Compare Stars

8

Spectral Classification

9

Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram

Loading HR diagram…
Read: The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram — Reading Stars Like a Map
10

Stellar Lifecycle

11

Blackbody Spectrum

12

Stellar Absorption Spectrum

Simulated absorption spectrum based on spectral type. Hover over lines to identify elements.

13

Stellar Fusion

Discover

14Stellar Notes

Sirius group?
15

Light Travel Time Machine

16

Relativistic Travel

Nearby in the Sky

Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.

Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.

Gamma Hyi
Easy
Cool red giant
Star mag 3.24 3.8° Hydrus
NGC 1466
Medium
Compact globular cluster
Globular Cluster mag 11.4 5.1° Hydrus
NGC 376
Medium+
Open cluster
Open Cluster mag 10.90 7.6° Tucana
NGC 1246
Hard
Elliptical galaxy
Galaxy mag 13.04 8.2° Horologium
Show on Map

Explore Nightbase

Related knowledge, tools, and stories — no observation planning required.

Arthur Eddington
1919 eclipse expedition confirming general relativity; first theory of stellar interiors; the Eddington limit
Biography
The Life of Stars
From birth in a nebula to spectacular death — how stars are born, shine, swell, and die, and how to read the clues in their starlight.
Article
Hydrus
Mythology, bright stars, and deep-sky highlights.
Constellation
}