Alpha Tucanae

α Tucanae
Location of α Tucanae (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Tucana
Right ascension 22h 18m 30.11244s[1]
Declination −60° 15′ 34.6664″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 2.86[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type K3 III[3]
U−B color index +1.54[2]
B−V color index +1.39[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+45.8[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −77.000[1] mas/yr
Dec.: −32.823[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)17.7324 ± 0.3290 mas[1]
Distance184 ± 3 ly
(56 ± 1 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−1.05[5]
Absolute bolometric
magnitude (Mbol)		−1.97[5]
Orbit[6]
Period (P)4197.7 days
Eccentricity (e)0.39
Periastron epoch (T)18666.4
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)		48.5°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)		7.2 km/s
Details
Mass2.5 - 3[7] M☉
Radius37[7] R☉
Luminosity424[7] L☉
Temperature4300[7] K
Other designations
CPD−60°7561, FK5 841, HD 211416, HIP 110130, HR 8502, SAO 255193[8]
Database references
SIMBADdata

Alpha Tucanae (α Tuc, α Tucanae) is a binary star system in the southern circumpolar constellation of Tucana. With an apparent visual magnitude of 2.86,[2] it can be seen with the naked eye from the southern hemisphere. Using parallax measurements, the distance to this system can be estimated as 184 light-years (56 parsecs). A cool star with a surface temperature of 4300 K, it is 424 times as luminous as the sun and 37 times its diameter. It is 2.5 to 3 times as massive. It is unclear what stage of evolution the star is in.[7]

This is a spectroscopic binary, which means that the two stars have not been individually resolved using a telescope, but the presence of the companion has been inferred from measuring changes in the spectrum of the primary. The orbital period of the binary system is 4197.7 days (11.5 years).[6] The primary component has a stellar classification of K3 III,[3] which indicates it is a giant star that has exhausted the supply of hydrogen at its core and evolved away from the main sequence. It has the characteristic orange hue of a K-type star.

  1. ^ a b c d e Vallenari, A.; et al. (Gaia collaboration) (2023). "Gaia Data Release 3. Summary of the content and survey properties". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 674: A1. arXiv:2208.00211. Bibcode:2023A&A...674A...1G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202243940. S2CID 244398875. Gaia DR3 record for this source at VizieR.
  2. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference clpl4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference houk1978 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference mnras139_341 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Pasquini, L.; de Medeiros, J. R.; Girardi, L. (2000). "Ca II activity and rotation in F-K evolved stars". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 361: 1011–1022. arXiv:astro-ph/0008109. Bibcode:2000A&A...361.1011P.
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference ncsbo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b c d e Kaler, Jim. "Alpha Tucanae". Stars. University of Illinois. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference SIMBAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).