Star lore
Hydra
Direct answer
Hydra is the largest of the 88 constellations, representing a water snake stretched across more than one quarter of the sky.
Hydra is the immense Water Snake, led by the orange star Alphard.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Related
- Hercules, Horologium, Hydrus, Indus
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The story behind Hydra
Hydra is one of Ptolemy's ancient constellations and retained its sprawling form under modern boundaries.
A one-minute story
The Road of the Sun
Where the twelve signs came from, and why they carry the names they do.
Why Hydra matters
Hydra’s extraordinary length links winter and spring sky regions and carries Crater, Corvus, and Sextans along its course.
How to read Hydra
Find the small head below Cancer, continue through solitary Alphard, and trace the body eastward beneath Virgo.
Hydra in practice: an example
Alphard means the solitary one and stands conspicuously alone near the center of Hydra's long path.
Where readings of Hydra go wrong
Hydra is different from the far-southern constellation Hydrus and from any individual mythic hydra story.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- International Astronomical Union: The Constellations - Official names, abbreviations, and boundaries for the 88 modern constellations.
- NASA Space Place: What Are Constellations? - NASA introduction to constellation regions, patterns, visibility, and seasonal sky changes.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
Trace the Water Snake across spring
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Common questions
What is hydra?
Hydra is the largest of the 88 constellations, representing a water snake stretched across more than one quarter of the sky.
What do people get wrong about hydra?
Hydra is different from the far-southern constellation Hydrus and from any individual mythic hydra story.
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