The AsterNym star registry
Solitaire
Solitaire: the warm orange star of Hydra
warm orange · Hydra · E Hya
Solitaire 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. Solitaire 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
Solitaire at a glance
- Constellation
- Hydra
- Other name
- E Hya
- Catalogue number
- HIP 72571
- Distance
- ≈ 331 light-years
- Brightness
- Magnitude 4.41 naked-eye
- Star type
- K3III
- Colour
- warm orange
- Best seen from
- The Southern Hemisphere and lower northern latitudes
- Right ascension
- 14h 50m 17s
- Declination
- −27° 57′ 37″
Coordinates are J2000 epoch, checkable against any astronomical source or planetarium app.
What could a Solitaire dedication represent?
Solitaire 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 Solitaire?
It is easy to see from much of the Southern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower northern latitudes, but it never rises for observers north of about latitude 62°N.
Solitaire belongs to Hydra.
Dedicate Solitaire to someone who matters
A flower fades. A card is eventually put away. A star gives your message a place in the sky.
Your Solitaire dedication includes:
- · Your chosen dedication name
- · Your personal message
- · Solitaire's real astronomical coordinates
- · A shareable dedication page
- · Its location on the AsterNym Galaxy Map
- · An optional printable certificate and gift presentation
Solitaire keeps its established astronomical name. Your dedication is a personal commemorative record within the AsterNym registry.
Frequently asked questions about Solitaire
- Is Solitaire the brightest star?
- Solitaire shines at magnitude 4.41 — visible to the naked eye on a clear night, one of the few thousand stars with an officially recognised name.
- How far away is Solitaire?
- Solitaire is approximately 331 light-years from Earth. The light reaching us tonight began its journey around 331 years ago.
- Which constellation contains Solitaire?
- Solitaire is part of Hydra.
- Can everyone see Solitaire?
- It is easy to see from much of the Southern Hemisphere. It can also appear from lower northern latitudes, but it never rises for observers north of about latitude 62°N.
- Is dedicating Solitaire an official astronomical renaming?
- No. Solitaire 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.