Beta Indi
Star in the constellation Indus
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Beta Indi, Latinized from β Indi, is the second brightest star in the southern constellation of Indus.[10] It is visible to the naked eye as a faint, orange-hued point of light with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.67.[2] The star is located approximately 600 light years from the Sun, based on parallax, but is drifting closer with a radial velocity of −5 km/s.[2]
 | |
| Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS) | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Indus |
| Right ascension | 20h 54m 48.60278s[1] |
| Declination | −58° 27′ 14.9618″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 3.67[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | K1II[3] or K0III[4] |
| U−B color index | +1.23[5] |
| B−V color index | +1.250±0.015[2] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | −4.9±0.7[2] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: 21.06[1] mas/yr Dec.: −24.75[1] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 5.41±0.73 mas[1] |
| Distance | approx. 600 ly (approx. 180 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −2.664[6] |
| Details | |
| Mass | 6.7±0.4[7] M☉ |
| Radius | 55.58+9.35 −5.02[8] R☉ |
| Luminosity | 1,183±58[8] L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 0.800[9] cgs |
| Temperature | 4,541+220 −334[8] K |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | −0.06[9] dex |
| Age | 53.2±10.0[7] Myr |
| Other designations | |
| B 2847A, β Ind, CPD−58°7788, FK5 785, HD 198700, HIP 103227, HR 7986, SAO 246784, WDS 20548-5827A[10] | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
The stellar classification of this star is K1II,[3] matching an evolved bright giant. Earlier it had been categorized as an ordinary giant with a class of K0III.[4] It is a hybrid giant with both a hot stellar corona and cool stellar winds, and is a weak X-ray source with a flux measured at (11±1)×10−14 ergs cm−1 s−1.[11] Having consumed the supply of hydrogen at its core, this star has expanded off the main sequence and now has about 56[8] times the girth of the Sun. It is 53 million years old with 6.7 times the mass of the Sun.[7] The star is radiating 1,183 times the Sun's luminosity from its enlarged photosphere at an effective temperature of 4,541 K.[8]
β Indi has a visual companion, CCDM J20548-5827B, with an apparent visual magnitude of approximately 12.5. As of 2015, it lies at an angular separation of 17.2″ along a position angle of 100° from the brighter component.[12]