White main-sequence star · Serpens
Alya
Also known as: θ¹ Serpentis (θ¹ Ser), HIP 92946
mag 4.6160 light-years
About
Alya (θ¹ Serpentis) is a white main-sequence star of magnitude 4.6 in Serpens, about 160 light-years away.
How to find it
- Alya is in the constellation Serpens.
- Best evenings: around mid-August it is highest at about 9 pm (10 pm in summer time); a month earlier, two hours later.
- Where on Earth: it is seen well, at least 10° up, from north of 76° S.
When it rises and sets tonight, how high it climbs and how much the Moon gets in the way are worked out in your browser for your place.
What you will see
- EyesNeeds a dark sky away from city lights.
- Binoculars (10×50)A sharp point; binoculars bring out its colour and the fainter stars around it.
- Telescope (6–8 inch)Still a point of light at any magnification — stars are too far away to show a disc. Low in the sky, bright stars twinkle and flash colours.
Stars look the same in any instrument: brighter and sharper, but never bigger.
Facts
| Proper name | Alya |
|---|---|
| Designation | θ¹ Serpentis (θ¹ Ser) |
| Hipparcos number | HIP 92946 |
| Type | White main-sequence star |
| Spectral type | A5V |
| Colour | Yellowish whiteB−V colour index 0.16 |
| Magnitude | 4.6The smaller the number, the brighter. |
| Distance | 160 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1870. |
| Proper motion | 0.046″ per year across the sky |
| Constellation | Serpens |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 18h 56m 13.2s |
| Declination (J2000) | +04° 12′ 13″ |
More in Serpens
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HCG 79Seyfert's SextetGalaxySources and credits
Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →