Eta Leonis (η Leo, η Leonis) is a third-magnitude blue supergiant star in the constellation Leo, about 1,270 light years away.
Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Leo |
Right ascension | 10h 07m 19.95186s[1] |
Declination | 16° 45′ 45.592″[1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 3.486[2] |
Characteristics | |
Evolutionary stage | Blue supergiant (blue loop)[3] |
Spectral type | A0 Ib[2] |
U−B color index | −0.206[2] |
B−V color index | −0.026[2] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | 1.40[4] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: −2.80[1] mas/yr Dec.: −1.82[1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 2.57±0.16 mas[1] |
Distance | 1,270 ± 80 ly (390 ± 20 pc) |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | −5.54[3] |
Details | |
Mass | 10[5] M☉ |
Radius | 47[3] R☉ |
Luminosity | 19,000[5] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | 2.00[5] cgs |
Temperature | 9,600[2] K |
Metallicity | −0.04[3] |
Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 2[2] km/s |
Age | 25[5] Myr |
Other designations | |
η Leo, 30 Leonis, HR 3975, BD+17°2171, HD 87737, FK5 379, HIP 49583, SAO 98955, GC 13899 | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
Eta Leonis is a blue supergiant with the stellar classification A0Ib. Since 1943, the spectrum of this star has served as one of the stable anchor points by which other stars are classified.[6] Though its apparent magnitude is 3.5, making it a relatively dim star to the naked eye, it is nearly 20,000 times more luminous than the Sun, with an absolute magnitude of -5.60. The Hipparcos astrometric data has estimated the distance of Eta Leonis to be roughly 390 parsecs from Earth, or 1,270 light years away. It is believed to be in a blue loop phase.[3]
Eta Leonis is apparently a multiple star system, but the number of components and their separation is uncertain.[7]