Alpha Phoenicis

Starbox begin
name=Alpha Phoenicis Starbox observe
epoch=J2000
ra=00^h 26^m 17.1^s
dec=-42° 18′ 21.5″
appmag_v=2.40
constell=Phoenix Starbox character
class=K0 III
b-v=1.08
u-b=0.88
variable=? Starbox astrometry
radial_v=+75.2
prop_mo_ra=232.76
prop_mo_dec=-353.64
parallax=42.14
p_error=0.78
absmag_v=0.52 Starbox detail
mass=2.5
radius=11.1
luminosity=62 | temperature=4,850
metal=?
rotation=?
age=? Starbox catalog
names=Ankaa, Nair al Zaurak, Cymbae, Lucida Cymbae, HR 99, CD -42°116, HD 2261, LTT 231, GCTP 71.00, SAO 215093, FK5 12, HIP 2081.

Alpha Phoenicis (α Phe / α Phoenicis) is the brightest star in the constellation Phoenix. It also has the traditional name Ankaa ("phoenix" in Arabic). Medieval Arab astronomers formed the constellation of the dhow (small boat) where the Phoenix is, so another popular name for the star is "Nair al-Zaurak", or "the bright one of the boat".

Ankaa is similar to many of the visible stars of the night sky, being an orange giant of relatively average stellar size. It is currently thought to be in the midst of a short but stable helium burning phase of its stellar evolution, although it likely won't be long in astronomical terms before it sheds its outer layers in a planetary nebula and ends its life quietly as a white dwarf. It is known that Ankaa has a small stellar companion, but currently little to nothing is known about the companion.