Epsilon Hydrae is a Class G5

Stellar classification

In astronomy, stellar classification is a classification of stars based on their spectral characteristics. The spectral class of a star is a designated class of a star describing the ionization of its chromosphere, what atomic excitations are most prominent in the light, giving an objective measure...

, third-magnitude star

Star

A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...

 in the constellation

Constellation

In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....

 Hydra

Hydra (constellation)

Hydra is the largest of the 88 modern constellations, measuring 1303 square degrees. It has a long history, having been included among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy. It is commonly represented as a water snake...

. Epsilon Hydrae is a binary star with components of magnitudes 3.3 and 6.8, separated by 2.7 arcseconds. This stellar system is located about 135 light-year

Light-year

A light-year, also light year or lightyear is a unit of length, equal to just under 10 trillion kilometres...

s from Earth

Earth

Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...

.

Name and etymology

This star, along with δ Hya

Delta Hydrae

Delta Hydrae is a Class A1, fourth-magnitude star in the constellation Hydra. Delta Hydrae is a binary double star, located about 180 light-years from Earth.-Name and etymology:...

 (Lisan al Sudja), ζ Hya

Zeta Hydrae

Zeta Hydrae is a Class G9, third-magnitude star in the constellation Hydra. Zeta Hydrae is a yellow giant star located about 150 light-years from Earth.-Name and etymology:...

, η Hya, ρ Hya and σ Hya

Sigma Hydrae

Sigma Hydrae is the 4th-magnitude star in the constellation Hydra. Sigma Hydrae belongs to spectral class K1+III and has apparent magnitude +4.44...

 (Minhar al Shija), were Ulug Beg's Min al Azʽal, "Belonging to the Uninhabited Spot".

According to the catalogue of stars in the Technical Memorandum 33-507 - A Reduced Star Catalog Containing 537 Named Stars, Min al Azʽal or Minazal were the title for five stars:δ Hya

Delta Hydrae

Delta Hydrae is a Class A1, fourth-magnitude star in the constellation Hydra. Delta Hydrae is a binary double star, located about 180 light-years from Earth.-Name and etymology:...

 as Minazal I, η Hya as Minazal II, ε Hya as Minazal III, ρ Hya as Minazal IV and ζ Hya

Zeta Hydrae

Zeta Hydrae is a Class G9, third-magnitude star in the constellation Hydra. Zeta Hydrae is a yellow giant star located about 150 light-years from Earth.-Name and etymology:...

 as Minazal V (exclude σ Hya

Sigma Hydrae

Sigma Hydrae is the 4th-magnitude star in the constellation Hydra. Sigma Hydrae belongs to spectral class K1+III and has apparent magnitude +4.44...

)

In Chinese

Chinese language

The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...

, , meaning Willow

Willow (Chinese constellation)

The Willow mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the southern mansions of the Vermilion Bird.-Asterisms:...

 (asterism), refers to an asterism consisting of ε Hydrae, δ Hydra

Delta Hydrae

Delta Hydrae is a Class A1, fourth-magnitude star in the constellation Hydra. Delta Hydrae is a binary double star, located about 180 light-years from Earth.-Name and etymology:...

, σ Hydrae

Sigma Hydrae

Sigma Hydrae is the 4th-magnitude star in the constellation Hydra. Sigma Hydrae belongs to spectral class K1+III and has apparent magnitude +4.44...

, η Hydrae, ρ Hydrae, ζ Hydrae

Zeta Hydrae

Zeta Hydrae is a Class G9, third-magnitude star in the constellation Hydra. Zeta Hydrae is a yellow giant star located about 150 light-years from Earth.-Name and etymology:...

, ω Hydrae and θ Hydrae Consequently, ε Hydrae itself is known as

The people of Groote Eylandt

Groote Eylandt

Groote Eylandt is the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria in northeastern Australia. It is the homeland of, and is owned by, the Anindilyakwa people who speak the isolated Anindilyakwa language)....

 called Unwala, "The Crab", for the star cluster including this star, δ Hya

Delta Hydrae

Delta Hydrae is a Class A1, fourth-magnitude star in the constellation Hydra. Delta Hydrae is a binary double star, located about 180 light-years from Earth.-Name and etymology:...

 (Lisan al Sudja), ζ Hya

Zeta Hydrae

Zeta Hydrae is a Class G9, third-magnitude star in the constellation Hydra. Zeta Hydrae is a yellow giant star located about 150 light-years from Earth.-Name and etymology:...

, η Hya, ρ Hya and σ Hya

Sigma Hydrae

Sigma Hydrae is the 4th-magnitude star in the constellation Hydra. Sigma Hydrae belongs to spectral class K1+III and has apparent magnitude +4.44...

(Minhar al Shija).