Alpha Columbae

α Columbae
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation Columba
Right ascension 05h 39m 38.9399s[1]
Declination −34° 04′ 26.788″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 2.60[1]
Characteristics
Spectral type B7IVe[1]
U−B color index -0.46[2]
B−V color index -0.12[2]
R−I color index -0.09[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv) 35 ± 5[1] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: -0.10[1] mas/yr
Dec.: -24.05[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π) 12.16 ± 0.60[1] mas
Distance 270 ± 10 ly
(82 ± 4 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV) [3]
Details
Mass 4.5[4] M☉
Radius 7[4] R☉
Luminosity (bolometric) 1,000[4] L☉
Temperature 12,500[4] K
Other designations
Alpha Columbae (α Col), CD -34°2375 , CPD -34°703, FK5 215, CSV 100672, GC 7078, HD 37795, HIP 26634, HR 1956, NSV 2549, PPM 281732, SAO 196059, CCDM J05396-3404 A.[1]
Database references
SIMBAD data

Alpha Columbae (α Columbae, α Col) is a 3rd magnitude and the brightest star in the constellation Columba. It is also known as Phact.

Physical charactericities

Alpha Columbae is a binary star system CCDM J05396-3404. The primary star (CCDM J05396-3404 A) is a Be-type subgiant. It is suspected Gamma Cassiopeiae type (GCAS) variable star, varying from apparent magnitude 2.62m to 2.66m. There is an expanding gas shell around the star.[5] Its faint companion (CCDM J05396-3404 B) has an apparent magnitude of 12.3m and is 13.5" distant from the primary star.[6]

Name

The proper name "Phact" (also Phad, Phaet, Phakt[5]) derived from the Arabic ألفاجتة - fākh(i)tah [fa:x(i)ta] which meaning "ring dove". It was originally applied to the constellation Cygnus as al-Fākhtah, but later transferred to this star.[7][8][9][10] The etymology of its name hadāri (unknown meaning)[11] has also been suggested.

In Chinese, 丈人 (Zhàng Rén), meaning Grandfather, refers to an asterism consisting of α Columbae and ε Columbae.[12] Consequently, α Columbae itself is known as 天囷一 (Zhàng Rén yī, English: the First Star of Grandfather.).[13] From this Chinese name, the name Chang Jin was appeared[14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i * alf Col -- Be Star, database entry, SIMBAD. Accessed on line April 21, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c HR 1956, database entry, The Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed. (Preliminary Version), D. Hoffleit and W. H. Warren, Jr., CDS ID V/50. Accessed on line April 21, 2009.
  3. ^ From apparent magnitude and parallax.
  4. ^ a b c d Jim Kaler: Phact - STARS. Accessed on line April 21, 2009.
  5. ^ a b Note of HR 1956, database entry, The Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed. (Preliminary Version), D. Hoffleit and W. H. Warren, Jr., CDS ID V/50. Accessed on line April 21, 2009.
  6. ^ CCDM J05396-3404, database entry, J. Dommanget and O. Nys (2002) Catalogue of the Components of Double and Multiple Stars, Accessed on line April 21, 2009.
  7. ^ Davis, Jr., G. A., (1971). Pronunciations, Derivations, and Meanings of a Selected List of Star Names (rep. ed.). Cambridge, MA: Sky Pub. Corp. p. 11. 
  8. ^ Kunitzsch, P., (1959). Arabische Sternnamen in Europa. Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz. pp. 191–192. 
  9. ^ Laffitte, R., (2005). Héritages arabes: Des noms arabes pour les étoiles (2éme revue et corrigée ed.). Paris: Librairie Orientaliste Paul Geunthner / Les Cahiers de l'Orient. p. 223. 
  10. ^ Kunitzsch, P., & Smart, T., (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, MA: Sky Pub. p. 30. ISBN 978-1-931559-44-7. 
  11. ^ Allen, R. H., (1963). Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning (rep. ed.). New York, NY: Dover Publications Inc.. p. 167. ISBN 0-486-21079-0. 
  12. ^ (Chinese) 中國星座神話, written by 陳久金. Published by 台灣書房出版有限公司, 2005, ISBN 978-986-7332-25-7.
  13. ^ (Chinese) 香港太空館 - 研究資源 - 亮星中英對照表, Hong Kong Space Museum. Accessed on line November 23, 2010.
  14. ^ Richard Hinckley Allen: Star Names — Their Lore and Meaning: Columbae
Stars of Columba
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