Beta Columbae

β Columbae

Observation data Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation	Columba
Right ascension	05h 50m 57.5929s[1]
Declination	−35° 46′ 05.911″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V)	3.12[1]
Characteristics
Spectral type	K1IIICN+1[1]
U−B color index	+1.21[2]
B−V color index	+1.16[2]
R−I color index	+0.58[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)	88.9 ± 0.9[1] km/s
Proper motion (μ)	RA: 55.74[1] mas/yr Dec.: 404.66[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)	37.94 ± 0.57[1] mas
Distance	86 ± 1 ly (26.4 ± 0.4 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)	1.02[3]
Details
Mass	1.10 ± 0.20 [4] M☉
Radius	12[5] R☉
Luminosity (bolometric)	50[5] L☉
Temperature	4535[5] K
Age	2 × 109 [5] years
Other designations
β Col, Beta Columbae, Beta Col, CD−35 2546, CPD−35 752, FK5 223, GC 7364, HD 39425, HIP 27628, HR 2040, LTT 2392, NLTT 15724, PPM 281952, SAO 196240.[1]
Database references
SIMBAD	data

Beta Columbae (Beta Col, β Columbae, β Col) is a K-type giant star and is the second brightest star in the constellation of Columba.^[5] It has the traditional name Wezn (or Wazn), from the Arabic وزن "weight".^[2][5]

In Chinese, 子 (Zǐ), meaning Son, refers to an asterism consisting of β Columbae and λ Columbae.^[6] Consequently, β Columbae itself is known as 子二 (Zǐ èr, English: the Second Star of Son.)^[7]

Structure

It has an apparent visual magnitude of approximately 3.12, spectral class K1IIICN+1, and is approximately 86 light-years (26 pc) from Earth.^[1] β Columbae is moving at an unusually large speed of 100 km/sec, relative to the Sun.^[5]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} NLTT 15724 -- High proper-motion Star, database entry, SIMBAD. Accessed on line September 5, 2008.
2. ^ ^{a b c d} HR 2040, database entry, The Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed. (Preliminary Version), D. Hoffleit and W. H. Warren, Jr., CDS ID V/50. Accessed on line September 5, 2008.
3. ^ From apparent magnitude and parallax.
4. ^ Stello et al. (2008). "Oscillating K Giants with the WIRE Satellite: Determination of Their Asteroseismic Masses". The Astrophysical Journal Letters 674 (1): L53–L56. Bibcode 2008ApJ...674L..53S. doi:10.1086/528936. http://www.iop.org/EJ/article/1538-4357/674/1/L53/22437.html. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Wazn, Jim Kaler, Stars. Accessed on line September 5, 2008.
6. ^ (Chinese) 中國星座神話, written by 陳久金. Published by 台灣書房出版有限公司, 2005, ISBN 978-986-7332-25-7.
7. ^ (Chinese) 香港太空館 - 研究資源 - 亮星中英對照表, Hong Kong Space Museum. Accessed on line November 23, 2010.