Gamma Cancri

γ Cancri
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation Cancer
Right ascension 08h 43m 17.14820s [1]
Declination +21° 28′ 06.6008″ [1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 4.66
Characteristics
Spectral type A1IV
Astrometry
Parallax (π)18.00 ± 0.21[2] mas
Distance181 ± 2 ly
(55.6 ± 0.6 pc)
Other designations
Gamma Cancri, Asellus Borealis, 43 Cancri, HR 3449, HD 74198, BD+21°1895, FK5 1228, HIP 42806, SAO 80378, GC 11982, CCDM 08433+2128

Gamma Cancri (γ Cnc, γ Cancri) is a star system in the constellation Cancer. It has the traditional name Asellus Borealis (Latin for "northern donkey colt").

In Chinese, 鬼宿 (Guǐ Su), meaning Ghost (asterism), refers to an asterism consisting of γ Cancri, θ Cancri, η Cancri and δ Cancri.[3] Consequently, γ Cancri itself is known as 鬼宿三 (Guǐ Su sān, English: the Third Star of Ghost.)[4]

Gamma Cancri is a white A-type subgiant with an apparent magnitude of +4.67. [1] Located around 181 light-years distant, it shines with a luminosity approximately 35 times that of the Sun and has a surface temperature of 9108 K.[5] Since it is near the ecliptic, it can be occulted by the Moon and, very rarely, by planets. It will die in about 510 million years.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Gamma+Cancri". SIMBAD. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  2. ↑ van Leeuwen, F. (2007). "Validation of the New Hipparcos Reduction". Astronomy and Astrophysics 474 (2): 653–64. arXiv:0708.1752. Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357.
  3. ↑ (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.
  4. ↑ (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.
  5. ↑ McDonald, I.; Zijlstra, A. A.; Boyer, M. L. (2012). "Fundamental Parameters and Infrared Excesses of Hipparcos Stars". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 427 (1): 343–57. Bibcode:2012MNRAS.427..343M.