Alpha Doradus
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Dorado |
| A | |
| Right ascension | 04h 33m 59.778s |
| Declination | −55° 02′ 41.91″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 3.236 – 3.276[2] |
| B | |
| Right ascension | 04h 33m 59.782s |
| Declination | −55° 02′ 42.39″[3] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 4.3[4] |
| Characteristics | |
| U−B color index | −0.35[4] |
| B−V color index | −0.10[4] |
| R−I color index | −0.09[4] |
| A | |
| Spectral type | A0IIIp[4] |
| Variable type | ACV[5] |
| B | |
| Spectral type | B9IV[4] |
| Astrometry | |
| A | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | 25.6 ± 0.9[6] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: 58.06[1] mas/yr Dec.: 12.73[1] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 19.34±0.31 mas[7] |
| Distance | 169 ± 3 ly (51.7 ± 0.8 pc) |
| B | |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: 42.83[3] mas/yr Dec.: 12.94[3] mas/yr |
| Orbit[8] | |
| Period (P) | 12.1 y |
| Semi-major axis (a) | 0.18″ |
| Eccentricity (e) | 0.80 |
| Inclination (i) | 31° |
| Longitude of the node (Ω) | 140° |
| Periastron epoch (T) | B1986 |
| Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | 193° |
| Details | |
| A | |
| Mass | 3.33 ± 0.10[9] M☉ |
| Radius | 3.5 ± 0.3[9] R☉ |
| Luminosity (bolometric) | 195[9] L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 4.02 ± 0.07[9] cgs |
| Temperature | 11,588[9] K |
| Rotation | 2.94 days[9] |
| B | |
| Mass | 2.7[10] M☉ |
| Radius | 1.9[10] R☉ |
| Luminosity (bolometric) | 70[10] L☉ |
| Temperature | 12,200[10] K |
| Other designations | |
| α Dor, Alpha Doradus, Alpha Dor, CD−55 916, CPD−55 663, FK5 171, GC 5600, HD 29305, HIP 21281, HR 1465, SAO 233564, PPM 333592, CCDM J04340-5503AB, WDS 04340-5503AB[6] | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Alpha Doradus, Latinized from α Doradus, is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Dorado. The distance to this system, as measured using the parallax method, is about 169 light-years (52 parsecs).[7]

This is a binary star system[10] with an overall apparent visual magnitude that varies between 3.26 and 3.30,[5] making this one of the brightest naked-eye binary stars.[12] The system consists of a subgiant star of spectral type B revolving around a giant star with spectral type A in an eccentric orbit with a period of about 12 years.[4][8] The orbital separation varies from 2 astronomical units at periastron to 17.5 astronomical units at apastron. The primary, α Doradus A, is a chemically peculiar star whose atmosphere displays an abnormally high abundance of silicon, making this an Si star.[9]
Alpha Doradus has an optical companion, CCDM J04340-5503C, located 77 arcseconds away along a position angle of 94°. It has no physical relation to the other two stars.[4][13]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Perryman, M. A. C.; et al. (April 1997). "The HIPPARCOS Catalogue". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 323: L49 – L52. Bibcode:1997A&A...323L..49P. HIP 21281 component A's database entry at VizieR.
- ^ a b "alf Dor". The International Variable Star Index. AAVSO. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
- ^ a b c Perryman, M. A. C.; et al. (April 1997). "The HIPPARCOS Catalogue". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 323: L49 – L52. Bibcode:1997A&A...323L..49P. HIP 21281 component B's database entry at VizieR.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hoffleit, D.; Warren, W. H., Jr. (1995-11-01). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed. (Hoffleit+, 1991)". VizieR Online Data Catalog. 5050: V/50. Bibcode:1995yCat.5050....0H. Alpha Doradus' database entry at VizieR.
- ^ a b "The combined table of GCVS Vols I-III and NL 67-78 with improved coordinates". General Catalogue of Variable Stars. Moscow, Russia: Sternberg Astronomical Institute. Archived from the original on 2017-06-20.
- ^ a b "Alpha Doradus". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved September 3, 2008.
- ^ a b van Leeuwen, F. (November 2007). "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 474 (2): 653–664. arXiv:0708.1752. Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357. S2CID 18759600.
- ^ a b "Entry 04340-5503". Sixth Catalog of Orbits of Visual Binary Stars. United States Naval Observatory. Archived from the original on 2005-04-24. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
- ^ a b c d e f g North, P. (June 1998). "Do SI stars undergo any rotational braking?". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 334: 181–187. arXiv:astro-ph/9802286. Bibcode:1998A&A...334..181N.
- ^ a b c d e Kaler, James B. "Alpha Dor". Retrieved 2012-03-04.
- ^ "MAST: Barbara A. Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes". Space Telescope Science Institute. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
- ^ Heintz, W. D. (April 1984). "Note on the orbit of alpha Doradus". The Observatory. 104: 88–89. Bibcode:1984Obs...104...88H.
- ^ "Entry 04340-5503, discoverer code HJ3668, components AB-C". The Washington Double Star Catalog. United States Naval Observatory. Archived from the original on 2008-04-12. Retrieved 2008-09-03.