giant · K2III
Unukalhai
Unukalhai is a orange giant (spectral type K2III) about 74 light-years away. With an apparent magnitude of 2.63 it is easy to see even from a city.
The brightest star in Serpens; the name means "neck of the serpent".
Its light output is roughly 40 times that of the Sun (a rough estimate in visible light, calculated from brightness and distance).
From Germany (52° N) it rises and sets; it is best seen in the evening in May.
Key facts
- Distance
- ≈ 74 light-years
- Spectral type
- K2III (giant)
- Colour
- Orange
- Apparent magnitude
- 2.63 mag
- Luminosity
- ≈ 40 × Sun
- Position
- Right ascension 15h 44m, declination 6.4°
More well-known stars
Data: Hipparcos / HYG catalogue (CC BY-SA 4.0). Luminosity and visibility are calculated estimates.