Delta Aurigae

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Delta Aurigae
Diagram showing star positions and boundaries of the Auriga constellation and its surroundings
Cercle rouge 100%.svg

Location of δ Aurigae (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Auriga
Right ascension 05h 59m 31.63201s[1]
Declination +54° 17′ 04.7703″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 3.715[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type K0 III[3]
U−B color index +0.837[2]
B−V color index +1.017[2]
R−I color index 0.5
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv) +8.2[4] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: +81.81[1] mas/yr
Dec.: –132.98[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π) 25.88 ± 1.61[1] mas
Distance 126 ± 8 ly
(39 ± 2 pc)
Details
Radius 11[5] R
Luminosity 62[5] L
Surface gravity (log g) 2.7[5] cgs
Temperature 4,786[5] K
Metallicity [Fe/H] –0.15[5] dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i) 3.9[5] km/s
Other designations
Prijipati, 33 Aurigae, BD+54 970, FK5 225, HD 40035, HIP 28358, HR 2077, SAO 25502.[6]

Delta Aurigae (δ Aur, δ Aurigae) is the Bayer designation for an astrometric binary[7] star in the constellation Auriga. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 3.715.[2] Based upon its annual parallax shift of 25.88 mas,[1] it is some 126 light-years (39 parsecs) distant from the Earth, give or take an eight light-year margin of error. This star is the namesake for the Delta Aurigids, a meteor shower that occurs between October 6–15.[8] The radiant point for this shower passes several degrees to the south of the star.[9]

The visible component of this system is a giant star with a stellar classification of K0 III.[3] It has 11 times the radius of the Sun and shines with 62 times the Sun's luminosity. This energy is being radiated from the star's outer envelope at an effective temperature of 4,786 K.[5] This heat gives the star the orange-hued glow of a K-type star.[10]

Name

In Indian astronomy, it is known by the Sanskrit name Prajāpati (प्रजापति), "the Lord of Creation".[11][12]

In Chinese, 八穀 (Bā Gǔ), meaning Eight Kinds of Crops, refers to an asterism consisting of δ Aurigae, ξ Aurigae, 26 Camelopardalis, 14 Camelopardalis, 7 Camelopardalis, 9 Aurigae, 11 Camelopardalis and 31 Camelopardalis.[13] Consequently, δ Aurigae itself is known as 八穀一 (Bā Gǔ yī, English: the First Star of Eight Kinds of Crops),[14] refers to the rice.

References

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  11. "Auriga", by Richard Hinckley Allen in Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning
  12. Monier-Williams Sanskrit dictionary: pra-cchana—pra-jalpa
  13. (Chinese) 中國星座神話, written by 陳久金. Published by 台灣書房出版有限公司, 2005, ISBN 978-986-7332-25-7.
  14. (Chinese) http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%BE%A1%E5%A4%AB%E5%BA%A7

External links