The AsterNym star registry
Alphard
Alphard: the warm orange star of Hydra
warm orange · Hydra · α Hya
Alphard is a warm orange giant, far along its stellar life in the constellation Hydra, one of the few thousand stars bright enough to carry an officially recognised name. On a dark, clear night you can find it with your own eyes.
Most stars in the sky are anonymous points of light. Alphard is not — it has held a name across generations of sky-watchers, which makes it a rare thing to attach a name of your own to.
Real star · Personal dedication · Recorded in the AsterNym registry
See what a dedicated page looks like — preview
Alphard at a glance
- Constellation
- Hydra
- Other name
- α Hya
- Catalogue number
- HIP 46390
- Distance
- ≈ 177 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 1.98 naked-eye
- Star type
- K3 II-III
- Colour
- warm orange
- Best seen from
- Almost everywhere on Earth
- Right ascension
- 09h 27m 36s
- Declination
- −08° 39′ 31″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Alphard dedication represent?
Alphard is especially meaningful for someone who:
- · Deserves something older than any gift shop
- · Marks a beginning, an anniversary or a promise
- · Is remembered every time you look up
- · Has a light you want recorded somewhere permanent
Dedication idea
“For the one I think of when I find Hydra in the sky.”
Where can you see Alphard?
It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
Alphard belongs to Hydra, where it is the brightest star.
Dedicate Alphard to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Alphard dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Alphard's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Alphard keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Alphard
- Is Alphard the brightest star?
- Alphard shines at magnitude 1.98 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Alphard?
- Alphard is approximately 177 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 177 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Alphard?
- Alphard is the brightest star in Hydra.
- Can everyone see Alphard?
- It sits near the celestial equator, so nearly every inhabited latitude gets a view of it at some point in the year.
- Is dedicating Alphard an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Alphard keeps its internationally recognised astronomical name. An AsterNym dedication records your personal name and message in the AsterNym registry without changing the star's scientific identity.