F Centauri
Suspected astrometric binary star system in the constellation Centaurus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
F Centauri is a suspected astrometric binary[6] star system in the southern constellation of Centaurus. It has a reddish hue and is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude that fluctuates around +5.01.[1] The system is located at a distance of approximately 450 light years from the Sun based on parallax, and it has an absolute magnitude of −0.87.[1] O. J. Eggen flagged this star as a member of the Hyades Supercluster.[7]
| Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox ICRS | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Centaurus[1] |
| Right ascension | 12h 18m 59.76635s[2] |
| Declination | −55° 08′ 34.7346″[2] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | +5.01[1] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | M1III[3] |
| B−V color index | 1.600±0.008[1] |
| Variable type | suspected[4] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | −7.1±2.8[1] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: -79.258[2] mas/yr Dec.: -15.215[2] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 7.3256±0.1919 mas[2] |
| Distance | 450 ± 10 ly (137 ± 4 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −0.87[1] |
| Details | |
| Radius | 47.9+3.9 −6.3[2] R☉ |
| Luminosity | 502±15[2] L☉ |
| Temperature | 3,948+287 −151[2] K |
| Other designations | |
| F Cen, NSV 5544, CPD−54°5113, FK5 2985, GC 16792, HD 107079, HIP 60059, HR 4682, SAO 239838, CCDM J12190-5509[5] | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
The visible component is an aging red giant star on the asymptotic giant branch[8] with a stellar classification of M1III,[3] indicating it has exhausted the supply of both hydrogen and helium at its core and is cooling and expanding. It is a suspected variable star of unknown type that has been measured ranging in brightness from visual magnitude 4.94 down to 5.07.[4] At present it has 48 times the radius of the Sun. It is radiating 502 times the Sun's luminosity from its enlarged photosphere at an effective temperature of 3,948 K.[2]