Zeta Ceti

ζ Ceti
Location of ζ Ceti (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation Cetus
Right ascension 01h 51m 27.63482s[1]
Declination −10° 20′ 06.1289″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 3.742[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type K0 III Ba0.1[3]
U−B color index +1.076[2]
B−V color index +1.131[2]
Variable type Suspected[4]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+10.86±0.64[5] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +40.80[1] mas/yr
Dec.: −37.25[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)13.88 ± 0.57 mas[1]
Distance235 ± 10 ly
(72 ± 3 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−0.54[6]
Orbit[7]
Period (P)1,652 d
Eccentricity (e)0.59
Longitude of the node (Ω)85°
Periastron epoch (T)2414377 JD
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)		3.3 km/s
Details[5]
ζ Cet A
Mass2.34[8] M☉
Radius25 R☉
Luminosity240 L☉
Surface gravity (log g)2.4 cgs
Temperature4,581±14 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]−0.13 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)3.2 km/s
Age1.24[8] Gyr
Other designations
Baten Kaitos, ζ Cet, 55 Cet, BD−11°359, FK5 62, HD 11353, HIP 8645, HR 539, SAO 148059, WDS J01515-1020A.[9]
Database references
SIMBADdata

Zeta Ceti (ζ Ceti, abbreviated Zeta Cet, ζ Cet) is a binary star in the equatorial constellation of Cetus. It has a combined apparent visual magnitude of 3.74,[2] which is bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. Based upon parallax measurements taken during the Hipparcos mission, it is approximately 235 light-years from the Sun.[1]

Zeta Ceti is the primary or 'A' component of a double star system designated WDS J01515-1020 (the secondary or 'B' component is HD 11366).[10] Zeta Ceti's two components are therefore designated WDS J01515-1020 Aa and Ab. Aa is officially named Baten Kaitos /ˈbeɪtən ˈkeɪtɒs/, the traditional name of the entire system.[11][12]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Cite error: The named reference vanLeeuwen2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Jennens1975 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference lu1991 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference cgcvs2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Massarotti2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Anderson2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Pourbaix2004 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Luck2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference SIMBAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ "Washington Double Star Catalog". United States Naval Observatory. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  11. ^ Kunitzsch, Paul; Smart, Tim (2006). A Dictionary of Modern star Names: A Short Guide to 254 Star Names and Their Derivations (2nd rev. ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Sky Pub. ISBN 978-1-931559-44-7.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference IAU-LSN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).