Beta Indi

Beta Indi
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation Indus
Right ascension 20h 54m 48.60278s[1]
Declination −58° 27′ 14.9618″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 3.67[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type K1II[3] or K0III[4]
U−B color index +1.23[5]
B−V color index +1.250±0.015[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−4.9±0.7[2] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: 21.06[1] mas/yr
Dec.: −24.75[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)5.41 ± 0.73 mas[1]
Distanceapprox. 600 ly
(approx. 180 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−2.664[6]
Details
Mass6.7±0.4[7] M☉
Radius55.58+9.35
−5.02[8] R☉
Luminosity1,183±58[8] L☉
Surface gravity (log g)0.800[9] cgs
Temperature4,541+220
−334[8] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]−0.06[9] dex
Age53.2±10.0[7] Myr
Other designations
B 2847A, β Ind, CD−58°7788, FK5 785, HD 198700, HIP 103227, HR 7986, SAO 246784, WDS 20548-5827A[10]
Database references
SIMBADdata

Beta Indi, Latinized from β Indi, is the second brightest star in the southern constellation of Indus.[10] It is visible to the naked eye as a faint, orange-hued point of light with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.67.[2] The star is located approximately 600 light years from the Sun, based on parallax, but is drifting closer with a radial velocity of −5 km/s.[2]

The stellar classification of this star is K1II,[3] matching an evolved bright giant. Earlier it had been categorized as an ordinary giant with a class of K0III.[4] It is a hybrid giant with both a hot stellar corona and cool stellar winds, and is a weak X-ray source with a flux measured at (11±1)×10−14 ergs cm−1 s−1.[11] Having consumed the supply of hydrogen at its core, this star has expanded off the main sequence and now has about 56[8] times the girth of the Sun. It is 53 million years old with 6.7 times the mass of the Sun.[7] The star is radiating 1,183 times the Sun's luminosity from its enlarged photosphere at an effective temperature of 4,541 K.[8]

β Indi has a visual companion, CCDM J20548-5827B, with an apparent visual magnitude of approximately 12.5. As of 2015, it lies at an angular separation of 17.2″ along a position angle of 100° from the brighter component.[12]

  1. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference vanLeeuwen2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference Anderson2012 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. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Buscombe1962 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference bsc1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference cassatella was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference mnras410_1_190 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference GaiaDR2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Soubiran2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference SIMBAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Ayres2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference WDSC2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).