Kappa Arietis

Kappa Arietis
Location of κ Arietis (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Aries
Right ascension 02h 06m 33.92497s[1]
Declination +22° 38′ 53.9476″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.02[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type A2m[3]
U−B color index +0.11[2]
B−V color index +0.12[2]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+11.5[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +20.348[1] mas/yr
Dec.: −35.671[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)18.0292 ± 0.3092 mas[1]
Distance181 ± 3 ly
(55.5 ± 1.0 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)1.30[3]
Orbit[5]
Period (P)15.2938 d
Eccentricity (e)0.61
Periastron epoch (T)2,421,844.121 JD
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)		358.3°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)		34.5 km/s
Semi-amplitude (K2)
(secondary)		35.4 km/s
Details
Luminosity25[3] L☉
Surface gravity (log g)4.0[6] cgs
Temperature8,700[6] K
Metallicity [Fe/H]+0.18[6] dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)18[7] km/s
Other designations
κ Ari, 12 Arietis, BD+21°279, HD 12869, HIP 9836, HR 613, SAO 75146[8]
Database references
SIMBADdata

Kappa Arietis, Latinized from κ Arietis, is the Bayer designation for a binary star in the northern constellation of Aries. The combined apparent visual magnitude of the pair is 5.02,[2] making the system bright enough for it to be dimly visible to the naked eye as a white-hued point of light. It is located approximately 181 light-years from the Sun based on parallax,[1] and is drifting further away with a radial velocity of +11.5 km/s.[4]

The binary nature of this system was announced in 1918 by Lick Observatory. It is a double-lined spectroscopic binary with an orbital period of 15.3 days and an eccentricity of 0.61.[5] Both components displaying the spectral properties of an Am, or metallic-lined star. They have nearly the same brightness and their mass ratio is 1.03; very close to equal.[6]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Cite error: The named reference GaiaDR2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference aj83_606 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Anderson2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference gcsrv was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Jones1931 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference aaass27_35 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference aaa393_897 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference SIMBAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).