Kappa Mensae
Star in the constellation of Mensa
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Kappa Mensae, Latinized from κ Mensae, is a solitary[14] star in the southern circumpolar constellation Mensa. Its distance of 296 light years[1] based on its parallax shift gives it an apparent magnitude of 5.45,[2] making it faintly visible to the naked eye. However, it is receding from the Sun with a heliocentric radial velocity of 9.5 km/s.[6]
 | |
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox ICRS | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Mensa |
| Right ascension | 05h 50m 16.7857s[1] |
| Declination | −79° 21′ 40.900″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 5.45 ± 0.01[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Evolutionary stage | main sequence[3] |
| Spectral type | B9 V[4] |
| U−B color index | −0.24[5] |
| B−V color index | −0.08[5] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | 9.5 ± 2[6] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −4.815 mas/yr[1] Dec.: +66.518 mas/yr[1] |
| Parallax (π) | 11.018±0.0604 mas[1] |
| Distance | 296 ± 2 ly (90.8 ± 0.5 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | +0.78[7] |
| Details | |
| Mass | 3.44[8] M☉ |
| Radius | 1.95±0.09[9] R☉ |
| Luminosity | 66.4+2.6 −2.5[3] L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 4.21[8] cgs |
| Temperature | 10,965±50[3] K |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.00[10] dex |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 290[11] km/s |
| Age | 115[8] Myr |
| Other designations | |
| κ Mensae, 32 G. Mensae, CPD−79°202, HD 40953, HIP 27566, HR 2125, SAO 256248[12][13] | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Kappa Mensae has a stellar classification of B9 V,[4] indicating that it is an ordinary B-type main-sequence star. At present it has 3.44 times the mass of the Sun[8] and a diameter of 1.95 R☉.[9] It radiates at 66[3] times the luminosity from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 10,965 K,[3] giving it a bluish white hue. The star is very young, aged 115 million years,[8] having completed only 33.7% of its main sequence lifetime.[3] Kappa Mensae has a high rate of spin, rotating with a projected rotational velocity of 290 km/s.[11]