Nu Aurigae

Nu Aurigae
Diagram showing star positions and boundaries of the Auriga constellation and its surroundings


Location of ν Aurigae (circled)

Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Auriga
Right ascension 05h 51m 29.40040s[1]
Declination +39° 08′ 54.5428″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 3.957[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type G9.5 III Fe1 Ba0.2 + wd[3]
U−B color index +1.084[2]
B−V color index +1.138[2]
R−I color index 0.56
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+9.92 ± 0.14[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +8.48[1] mas/yr
Dec.: +0.39[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)15.17 ± 0.88[1] mas
Distance220 ± 10 ly
(66 ± 4 pc)
Details
Radius19[4] R☉
Luminosity135[4] L☉
Surface gravity (log g)2.4[4] cgs
Temperature4,571[4] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]–0.14[4] dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)5.0[4] km/s
Other designations
32 Aurigae, ADS 4440, BD+39 1429, FK5 221, HD 39003, HIP 27673, HR 2012, SAO 58502.[5]

Nu Aurigae (ν Aur, ν Aurigae) is the Bayer designation for a star in the northern constellation of Auriga. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.96[2] and is approximately 220 light-years (67 parsecs) distant from the Earth. This is an evolved giant star with a stellar classification of G9.5 III.[6] It is a red clump star, which indicates that it is generating energy through the fusion of helium at its core.[7] The outer envelope has expanded to 19 times the radius of the Sun and cooled to 4,571 K,[4] giving it the characteristic yellow-hued glow of a G-type star. It shines with 135 times the luminosity of the Sun.[4]

This is an astrometric binary with a suspected white dwarf companion.[3] A 10th magnitude star 54.6 arcseconds away is an optical companion.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 van Leeuwen, Floor (November 2007), "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction", Astronomy and Astrophysics 474 (2): 653–664, arXiv:0708.1752v1, Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357. Note: see VizieR catalogue I/311.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Oja, T. (August 1986), "UBV photometry of stars whose positions are accurately known. III", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series 65 (2): 405–409, Bibcode:1986A&AS...65..405O.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Eggleton, P. P.; Tokovinin, A. A. (September 2008), "A catalogue of multiplicity among bright stellar systems", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 389 (2): 869–879, arXiv:0806.2878, Bibcode:2008MNRAS.389..869E, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13596.x.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Massarotti, Alessandro et al. (January 2008), "Rotational and Radial Velocities for a Sample of 761 HIPPARCOS Giants and the Role of Binarity", The Astronomical Journal 135 (1): 209–231, Bibcode:2008AJ....135..209M, doi:10.1088/0004-6256/135/1/209.
  5. ↑ "32 Aur -- Star in double system", SIMBAD Astronomical Database (Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg), retrieved 2012-08-19.
  6. ↑ Eggen, O. J. (1962), "Space-velocity vectors for 3483 stars with proper motion and radial velocity", Royal Observatory Bulletin 51, Bibcode:1962RGOB...51...79E.
  7. ↑ Valentini, M.; Munari, U. (November 2010), "A spectroscopic survey of faint, high-Galactic-latitude red clump stars. I. The high resolution sample", Astronomy and Astrophysics 522: A79, arXiv:1007.0207, Bibcode:2010A&A...522A..79V, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201014870.

External links