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Gamma Hydrae is most easily found by beginning at Spica (alpha Virginis). Twelve degrees due south of this very bright star is gamma Hydrae, the last 'hump' or coil in the serpent Hydra.
Gamma Hya has an interesting neighbour, R Hydrae, a Mira-like long-period variable: binoculars.
R Hya has a period of 389 days, when it rises from a faint 10 visual magnitude to a rather bright 3.5 or so.
You've nearly reached the end of the serpent's tail, which is marked by pi Hydrae. Sweeping your glasses two full fields of view southeast of gamma Hydrae brings you to pi Hydrae: binoculars.
While this may be the end of the serpent's tail (although some cartographers extend the tip to include 58 Hya), there's more here to investigate: click on 54 Hya.
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