A Carinae
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For a Carinae, see V357 Carinae.
Observation data Epoch J2000.0 |
|
---|---|
Constellation (pronunciation) |
Carina |
Right ascension | 06h49m51.3s |
Declination | −53°37′20″ |
Apparent magnitude (V) | +4.41 |
Distance | 553 ly (169 pc) |
Spectral type | G6II |
Other designations | |
A Carinae (A Car) is a spectroscopic binary in the constellation Carina. It is approximately 553 light years from Earth.
The primary component, A Carinae A, is a yellow G-type bright giant with a mean apparent magnitude of +4.41. The second component, A Carinae B, is a white A-type main sequence dwarf, about three magnitudes fainter than the primary. The semi-major axis of the secondary's orbit is 2.17 arcseconds.
The two components regularly eclipse each other, making A Carinae a variable star. Its brightness varies by 0.06 magnitudes with a period equal to its orbital period of 195 days.