Kappa Aurigae
  | |
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Auriga[1] |
| Right ascension | 06h 15m 22.688s[2] |
| Declination | +29° 29′ 53.08″[2] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 4.335[3] |
| Characteristics | |
| Evolutionary stage | horizontal branch[4] |
| Spectral type | G8.5 IIIb[5] |
| U−B color index | +0.812[3] |
| B−V color index | +1.023[3] |
| R−I color index | 0.54 |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | +20.69±0.15[6] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −72.404 mas/yr[2] Dec.: −261.101 mas/yr[2] |
| Parallax (π) | 18.2703±0.1609 mas[2] |
| Distance | 179 ± 2 ly (54.7 ± 0.5 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | +0.65[1] |
| Details | |
| Mass | 1.25[7] M☉ |
| Radius | 11[6] R☉ |
| Luminosity | 54[6] L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 2.7[6] cgs |
| Temperature | 4,732[6] K |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | −0.33[6] dex |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 2.5[6] km/s |
| Age | 5.59[7] Gyr |
| Other designations | |
| κ Aur, 44 Aurigae, NSV 2877, BD+29°1154, FK5 1168, Gaia DR3 3436911415279548032, GC 7981, HD 43039, HIP 29696, HR 2219, SAO 78143, PPM 95662, LTT 11816, 2MASS J06152269+2929535[8] | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Kappa Aurigae is a star in the northern constellation of Auriga. Its name is a Bayer designation that is Latinised from κ Aurigae, and is abbreviated Kappa Aur or κ Aur. This star is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.3.[3] Based upon an annual parallax shift of 18.27 mas,[2] it is approximately 179 light-years (55 parsecs) distant from Earth. This is a high proper motion star, traversing the celestial sphere at an angular rate of 0.272″ yr−1.[9] It is drifting further away with a radial velocity of +21 km/s.[6]
This is an evolved giant star with a stellar classification of G8.5 IIIb.[5] It is a red clump star, which means it is towards the cool end of the horizontal branch and is generating energy through the fusion of helium at its core.[4] The star is 5.6[7] billion years old and is spinning with a projected rotational velocity of 2.5 km/s.[6] With 1.25 times the mass of the Sun,[7] Kappa Aurigae has expanded to 11 times the radius of the Sun and shines with 54 times the Sun's luminosity. This energy is radiated into outer space from the photosphere at an effective temperature of 4,732 K.[6] At this heat, the star glows with the orange hue of a G-type star.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Anderson, E.; Francis, Ch. (2012), "XHIP: An extended hipparcos compilation", Astronomy Letters, 38 (5): 331, arXiv:1108.4971, Bibcode:2012AstL...38..331A, doi:10.1134/S1063773712050015. XHIP record for this object at VizieR.
- ^ a b c d e Vallenari, A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2023), "Gaia Data Release 3. Summary of the content and survey properties", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 674: A1, arXiv:2208.00211, Bibcode:2023A&A...674A...1G, doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243940, S2CID 244398875 Gaia DR3 record for this source at VizieR.
- ^ a b c d Jennens, P. A.; Helfer, H. L. (September 1975), "A new photometric metal abundance and luminosity calibration for field G and K giants", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 172 (3): 667–679, Bibcode:1975MNRAS.172..667J, doi:10.1093/mnras/172.3.667.
- ^ a b Alves, David R. (August 2000), "K-Band Calibration of the Red Clump Luminosity", The Astrophysical Journal, 539 (2): 732–741, arXiv:astro-ph/0003329, Bibcode:2000ApJ...539..732A, doi:10.1086/309278, S2CID 16673121.
- ^ a b 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, S2CID 14878976.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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, S2CID 121883397.
- ^ a b c d Luck, R. Earle (2015), "Abundances in the Local Region. I. G and K Giants", The Astronomical Journal, 150 (3): 88, arXiv:1507.01466, Bibcode:2015AJ....150...88L, doi:10.1088/0004-6256/150/3/88, S2CID 118505114.
- ^ "* kap Aur", SIMBAD, Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg, retrieved 2012-07-18.
- ^ Lépine, Sébastien; Shara, Michael M. (March 2005), "A Catalog of Northern Stars with Annual Proper Motions Larger than 0.15" (LSPM-NORTH Catalog)", The Astronomical Journal, 129 (3): 1483–1522, arXiv:astro-ph/0412070, Bibcode:2005AJ....129.1483L, doi:10.1086/427854, S2CID 2603568.
- ^ "The Colour of Stars", Australia Telescope, Outreach and Education, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, December 21, 2004, archived from the original on February 22, 2012, retrieved 2012-01-16.
