Alpha Fornacis

Alpha Fornacis

Location of α Fornacis (upper left).
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Fornax
Right ascension 3h 12m 04.5277s[1]
Declination –28° 59′ 15.425″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 3.85[2] (3.98/7.19)[3]
Characteristics
Spectral type F8IV[4]
U−B color index +0.082[5]
B−V color index +0.581[5]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)–20.5[6] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: 371.49[1] mas/yr
Dec.: 612.28[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)71.4337 ± 0.1320 mas[7]
Distance45.66 ± 0.08 ly
(14.00 ± 0.03 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)3.08[8]
Orbit[3]
Period (P)269 yr
Semi-major axis (a)4.0″
Eccentricity (e)0.73
Inclination (i)81°
Longitude of the node (Ω)117°
Periastron epoch (T)1947
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)		43°
Details
α For A
Mass1.33 ± 0.01[9] M☉
Radius2.04 ± 0.06[10] R☉
Luminosity4.87 ± 0.16[10] L☉
Surface gravity (log g)4.27[9] cgs
Temperature6,240[9] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]–0.20[9] dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)3.9[10] km/s
Age2.9[11] Gyr
Other designations
α For, 12 Eridani, CD−29° 1177, GJ 127, HD 20010, HIP 14879, HR 963, SAO 168373, LTT 1512, 2MASS J03120443-2859156[2]
Database references
SIMBADdata

Alpha Fornacis (α Fornacis, abbreviated Alpha For, α For) is a triple star[12] system in the southern constellation of Fornax. It is the brightest star in the constellation and the only one brighter than magnitude 4.0. Based on parallax measurements obtained during the Hipparcos mission, it is approximately 46 light-years (14 parsecs) distant from the Sun.

Its three components are designated Alpha Fornacis A (officially named Dalim /ˈdeɪlɪm/),[13] Alpha Fornacis Ba and Alpha Fornacis Bb.

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference hipparcos was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference SIMBAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Hartkopf, W. I.; et al. (June 30, 2006), Sixth Catalog of Orbits of Visual Binary Stars, United States Naval Observatory, archived from the original on 2017-08-01, retrieved 2017-06-02.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference aaa323 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference aaass47 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference rgcrc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Brown, A. G. A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2021). "Gaia Early Data Release 3: Summary of the contents and survey properties". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 649: A1. arXiv:2012.01533. Bibcode:2021A&A...649A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039657. S2CID 227254300. (Erratum: doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039657e). Gaia EDR3 record for this source at VizieR.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Holmberg2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference aaa373 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference mnras405_3_1907 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference aaa418 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference Fuhrmann2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ "Naming Stars". IAU.org. Retrieved 16 December 2017.