Red giant · Serpens

Gudja

Also known as: κ Serpentis (κ Ser), HIP 77450

mag 4.1380 light-years

About

Gudja (κ Serpentis) is a red giant of magnitude 4.1 in Serpens, about 380 light-years away.

Gudja is in the constellation Serpens.
Best evenings: around early July 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 62° 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.

EyesVisible from the suburbs on a clear night, but lost in bright city skies.
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.

Proper name	Gudja
Designation	κ Serpentis (κ Ser)
Hipparcos number	HIP 77450
Type	Red giant
Spectral type	M1III
Colour	Orange-redB−V colour index 1.62
Magnitude	4.1The smaller the number, the brighter.
Distance	380 light-yearsThe light you see left it around 1640.
Proper motion	0.10″ per year across the sky
Constellation	Serpens
Right ascension (J2000)	15h 48m 44.4s
Declination (J2000)	+18° 08′ 30″

Star data: HYG Database by David Nash, CC BY-SA 4.0. All data sources →