Lambda Cassiopeiae, Latinized from λ Cassiopeiae, is a binary star system, in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia. The system has a combined apparent magnitude of +4.74, making it faintly visible to the naked eye. With an annual parallax shift of 8.64 mass,[1] it is approximately 380 light years from Earth. The system is moving closer to the Sun with a radial velocity of −12 km/s.[6]
Map of the Bayer-designated stars in Cassiopeia. Lambda Cassiopeiae is circled. | |
Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 | |
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Constellation | Cassiopeia |
Right ascension | 00h 31m 46.35935s[1] |
Declination | +54° 31′ 20.2257″[1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 4.772[2] (5.33 / 5.62)[3] |
Characteristics | |
Spectral type | B8 Vnn[4] |
U−B color index | −0.35[5] |
B−V color index | −0.10[5] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | −12.20±1.3[6] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: +41.20±0.29[1] mas/yr Dec.: −16.54±0.35[1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 8.64 ± 0.43 mas[1] |
Distance | 380 ± 20 ly (116 ± 6 pc) |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | −0.57[4] |
Orbit[3] | |
Period (P) | 245.70±35.96 yr |
Semi-major axis (a) | 0.448±0.028″ |
Eccentricity (e) | 0.689±0.119 |
Inclination (i) | 53.6±5.2° |
Longitude of the node (Ω) | 17.6±9.6° |
Periastron epoch (T) | 2025.54±4.56 |
Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | 301.0±2.6° |
Details | |
λ Cas A | |
Mass | 2.9+0.45 −0.40[7] M☉ |
Radius | 3.50[8] R☉ |
Luminosity | 255[4] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | 4.0±0.25[7] cgs |
Temperature | 12,000±1,000[7] K |
Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 253[9] km/s |
Age | 58+104 −48[7] Myr |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | λ Cas |
λ Cas A | |
λ Cas B |
Both components are blue-white B-type main-sequence stars. The brighter member, component A, has an apparent magnitude of +5.5, while its companion, component B, has an apparent magnitude of +5.8. The two stars are separated by 0.6 arcseconds and complete one orbit around their common centre of mass about once every 250 years.[3] The primary displays an infrared excess, possibly due to a debris disk or other orbiting material.[8]