Beta Aurigae
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| Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 |
|
|---|---|
| Constellation | Auriga |
| Right ascension | 05h 59m 31.7s |
| Declination | +44° 56′ 51″ |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | +1.896 |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | A2IV / A2IV / MV |
| U-B color index | +0.05 |
| B-V color index | +0.03 |
| R-I color index | -0.01 |
| Variable type | Algol variable |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | −18.2 km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −56.41 mas/yr Dec.: −0.88 mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 39.72 ± 0.78 mas |
| Distance | 82.1 ly (25.2 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −0.11 |
| Details | |
| Mass | 2.38/2.31 [1] M☉ |
| Radius | 2.77/2.63 [1] R☉ |
| Luminosity | 48/48 [2] L☉ |
| Temperature | 9,350/9,200 [1] K |
| Metallicity | 100% |
| Rotation | 33/34 [1] km/s |
| Age | 5.7 x 108 [1] years |
| Orbit | |
| Companion | CCDM 05596+4457 B |
| Semimajor axis (a) | 184.6" |
| Inclination (i) | 39° |
| Orbit | |
| Companion | CCDM 05596+4457 P |
| Semimajor axis (a) | 12.8" |
| Inclination (i) | 174° |
| Other designations | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
| Data sources: | |
| Hipparcos Catalogue, CCDM (2002), Bright Star Catalogue (5th rev. ed.) |
|
Beta Aurigae (β Aur / β Aurigae), traditionally named Menkalinan, is a white subgiant ternary star system approximately 85 light-years away in the constellation Auriga.
Contents |
[edit] Nomenclature
The name Menkalinan is shortened from the Arabic منكب ذي العنان mankib ðī-l-‘inān "shoulder of the rein-holder". It is known as 五車三 (the Third Star of the Five Chariots) in feudal Chinese astronomy.
[edit] System components
Beta Aurigae is actually a ternary (triple) star system, although the light that the star system releases forges the appearance of a single star in the night sky. The two brightest components, Beta Aurigae A and B, are both white subgiants falling under the A-type stellar classification; Beta Aurigae B is about the same mass and radius as A. A-type entities are hot stars that release a blue-white light; these two stars burn brighter and with more heat than the Sun, which is a G2-type subgiant star.
The third star, Beta Aurigae C, is a red dwarf star that is invisible to the naked eye. The C component is about 330 AU from the AB pair.
| NAME | Right ascension | Declination | Apparent magnitude (V) | Spectral type | Database references |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCDM 05596+4457 B (BD+44 1328B) | 05h 59m 42.9s | +44° 59' 13 | 10.6 | A2IV | Simbad |
| CCDM 05596+4457 P | 05h 59m 32.0s | +44° 56' 37 | 14.1 | MV | Simbad |
[edit] Variability
Beta Aurigae's primary and secondary stars constitute an eclipsing spectroscopic binary; the combined apparent magnitude varies over a period of 3.96004 days between +1.85 and +1.93, as every 47.5 hours one of the stars partially eclipses the other from Earth's perspective.
Beta Aurigae is believed to be a stream star member of the Ursa Major Moving Group.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e B. Nordstrom & K. T. Johansen. "Radii and masses for beta Aurigae". Astronomy and Astrophysics (ISSN 0004-6361), vol. 291, no. 3, p. 777-785. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1994A&A...291..777N. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
- ^ Professor James B. (Jim) Kaler. "MENKALINAN (Beta Aurigae)". University of Illinois. http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/menkalinan.html. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
[edit] External links
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