Rho Aurigae
  | |
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox ICRS | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Auriga |
| Right ascension | 05h 21m 48.417s[1] |
| Declination | +41° 48′ 16.46″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | +5.22[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Evolutionary stage | main sequence[1] |
| Spectral type | B5 V[3] |
| U−B color index | −0.57[2] |
| B−V color index | −0.14[2] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | +16.3±2.2[4] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: +15.053 mas/yr[1] Dec.: −37.695 mas/yr[1] |
| Parallax (π) | 5.2029±0.1327 mas[1] |
| Distance | 630 ± 20 ly (192 ± 5 pc) |
| Orbit[5] | |
| Period (P) | 34.49321±0.00057 d |
| Eccentricity (e) | 0.104±0.019 |
| Periastron epoch (T) | 47962.5±2.0 JD |
| Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | 3.4±12.0° |
| Semi-amplitude (K1) (primary) | 39.8±0.8 km/s |
| Details | |
| ρ Aur A | |
| Mass | 5–7[5] M☉ |
| Radius | 3.2–3.4[6] R☉ |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 55[7] km/s |
| ρ Aur B | |
| Mass | 2–4[5] M☉ |
| Other designations | |
| ρ Aurigae, 20 Aurigae, BD+41 1162, FK5 2400, GC 6556, HD 34759, HIP 25048, HR 1749, SAO 40269, PPM 48030[8] | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Rho Aurigae is a binary star system in the northern constellation of Auriga. Its name is a Bayer designation that is Latinized from ρ Aurigae, and abbreviated Rho Aur or ρ Aur. This system is faintly visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of +5.22.[2] Judging by parallax measurements, this system is approximately 630 light-years (190 parsecs) distant from the Earth, give or take a 20-light-year margin of error.[1] It is drifting further away from the Sun with a radial velocity of +16 km/s.[4]
ρ Aurigae is a single-lined spectroscopic binary system; the presence of a companion object is revealed by shifts in the stellar spectrum. The pair orbit each other with a period of 34.49 days and an orbital eccentricity of 0.10.[5]
The primary component of this system is a B-type main-sequence star defined as a standard star for the stellar classification of B5 V.[3] The deduced mass of the secondary and the lack of evidence for it in the spectrum suggest it may be a B- or A-type star somewhat less luminous than the primary.[5]
Name
[edit]In Chinese, 咸池 (Xián Chí), meaning Pool of Harmony, refers to an asterism consisting of ρ Aurigae, λ Aurigae and HD 36041.[9] Consequently, the Chinese name for ρ Aurigae itself is 咸池一 (Xián Chí yī, English: the First Star of Pool of Harmony).[10]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 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.
- 1 2 3 4 Crawford, D. L.; et al. (1971), "Four-color, H-beta, and UBV photometry for bright B-type stars in the northern hemisphere", The Astronomical Journal, 76: 1058, Bibcode:1971AJ.....76.1058C, doi:10.1086/111220.
- 1 2 Morgan, W. W.; Keenan, P. C. (1973), "Spectral Classification", Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 11: 29, Bibcode:1973ARA&A..11...29M, doi:10.1146/annurev.aa.11.090173.000333.
- 1 2 Gontcharov, G. A. (2006), "Pulkovo compilation of radial velocities for 35495 stars in a common system", Astronomy Letters, 32 (11): 759–771, arXiv:1606.08053, Bibcode:2006AstL...32..759G, doi:10.1134/S1063773706110065, S2CID 119231169.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Horn, J.; et al. (May 1994), "The orbit of the spectroscopic binary ρ Aurigae", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement, 105: 119–124, Bibcode:1994A&AS..105..119H.
- ↑ Pasinetti Fracassini, L. E.; et al. (February 2001), "Catalogue of Apparent Diameters and Absolute Radii of Stars (CADARS) - Third edition - Comments and statistics", Astronomy and Astrophysics, 367 (2): 521–524, arXiv:astro-ph/0012289, Bibcode:2001A&A...367..521P, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20000451, S2CID 425754.
- ↑ Abt, Helmut A.; et al. (July 2002), "Rotational Velocities of B Stars", The Astrophysical Journal, 573 (1): 359–365, Bibcode:2002ApJ...573..359A, doi:10.1086/340590.
- ↑ "rho Aur", SIMBAD, Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg, retrieved 2012-08-20.
- ↑ 陳久金 (2005), 中國星座神話 (in Chinese), 五南圖書出版股份有限公司, ISBN 978-986-7332-25-7.
- ↑ 天文教育資訊網 [AEEA (Activities of Exhibition and Education in Astronomy)] (in Chinese), July 13, 2006, archived from the original on 2011-07-16, retrieved 2018-10-06.
Further reading
[edit]- Allen, R. H. (1963), Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning (Reprint ed.), New York, NY: Dover Publications Inc, p. 91, ISBN 0-486-21079-0, retrieved December 12, 2010.
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: ignored ISBN errors (link) - Rhoads, Jack W. (November 15, 1971), Technical Memorandum 33-507-A Reduced Star Catalog Containing 537 Named Stars, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, retrieved 2025-05-15.
External links
[edit]- HR 1749 in Bright Star Catalogue
- ρ Aurigae image
