Kappa Arietis, Latinized from κ Arietis, is the Bayer designation for a binary star in the northern constellation of Aries. The combined apparent visual magnitude of the pair is 5.02,[2] making the system bright enough for it to be dimly visible to the naked eye as a white-hued point of light. It is located approximately 181 light-years from the Sun based on parallax,[1] and is drifting further away with a radial velocity of +11.5 km/s.[4]
Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Aries |
Right ascension | 02h 06m 33.92497s[1] |
Declination | +22° 38′ 53.9476″[1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 5.02[2] |
Characteristics | |
Spectral type | A2m[3] |
U−B color index | +0.11[2] |
B−V color index | +0.12[2] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | +11.5[4] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: +20.348[1] mas/yr Dec.: −35.671[1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 18.0292 ± 0.3092 mas[1] |
Distance | 181 ± 3 ly (55.5 ± 1.0 pc) |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | 1.30[3] |
Orbit[5] | |
Period (P) | 15.2938 d |
Eccentricity (e) | 0.61 |
Periastron epoch (T) | 2,421,844.121 JD |
Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | 358.3° |
Semi-amplitude (K1) (primary) | 34.5 km/s |
Semi-amplitude (K2) (secondary) | 35.4 km/s |
Details | |
Luminosity | 25[3] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | 4.0[6] cgs |
Temperature | 8,700[6] K |
Metallicity [Fe/H] | +0.18[6] dex |
Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 18[7] km/s |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
The binary nature of this system was announced in 1918 by Lick Observatory. It is a double-lined spectroscopic binary with an orbital period of 15.3 days and an eccentricity of 0.61.[5] Both components displaying the spectral properties of an Am, or metallic-lined star. They have nearly the same brightness and their mass ratio is 1.03; very close to equal.[6]