Kappa Orionis

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Kappa Orionis
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Orion
Right ascension 05h 47m 45.4s
Declination -09° 40′ 11″
Apparent magnitude (V) 2.06
Characteristics
Spectral type B0.5 Iavar
U-B color index -1.03
B-V color index -0.17
Variable type Slightly
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv) 21 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: 1.55 mas/yr
Dec.: -1.20 mas/yr
Parallax (π) 4.52 ± 0.77 mas
Distance approx. 700 ly
(approx. 220 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV) -4.66
Details
Mass 15-17 M
Radius 11 R
Luminosity 57,500 L
Temperature 26,000 K
Metallicity ?
Rotation ~82 km/s.
Age ? years
Other designations
Saiph, 53 Orionis, HR 2004, BD -09°1235, HD 38771, SAO 132542, FK5 220, HIP 27366.

Kappa Orionis (κ Ori / κ Orionis / 53 Orionis) is the sixth-brightest star in the constellation of Orion. It has the traditional name Saiph. Of the four bright stars that compose Orion's main quadrangle, it is the star at the south-eastern corner. A northern-hemisphere observer facing south would see it at the lower left of Orion, and a southern-hemisphere observer facing north would see it at the upper right. The name is from the Arabic saif al jabbar, literally sword of the giant.

Kappa Orionis is the sixth brightest star in Orion. At 720 light years away and 15-17 solar masses, it is about the same distance away from the Sun, and about the same size, as Rigel. It has a much higher magnitude value (2.06) than Rigel because, as a much hotter star with a surface temperature of 46,000 degrees Fahrenheit, it emits most of its light energy in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum, thus invisible to the human eye and making it appear dimmer. Large stars such as Saiph (and many other stars in Orion) are destined to collapse on themselves and explode as supernovae.

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