Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Auriga |
Right ascension | 06h 06m 35.09702s [1] |
Declination | +38° 28′ 57.5204″ [1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 5.345 [2] |
Characteristics | |
Spectral type | A4m [3] |
U−B color index | +0.11 [4] |
B−V color index | +0.23 [4] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | 16.90 ± 7.4 [5] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: 9.84 [1] mas/yr Dec.: −52.54 [1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 9.57 ± 0.34 [1] mas |
Distance | 340 ± 10 ly (104 ± 4 pc) |
Orbit [3] | |
Primary | 40 Aur A |
Companion | 40 Aur B |
Period (P) | 28.28 d |
Eccentricity (e) | 0.56 |
Periastron epoch (T) | JD 2420468.197 |
Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | 178.4° |
Semi-amplitude (K1) (primary) | 51.4 km/s |
Semi-amplitude(K2) (secondary) | 62.5 km/s |
Details [6] | |
Surface gravity (log g) | 3.88 ± 0.08 cgs |
Temperature | 7838 ± 52 K |
Metallicity [Fe/H] | +0.35 ± 0.05 dex |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
40 Aurigae is a binary star in the constellation Auriga. Its apparent magnitude is 5.345, [2] meaning it can just barely be seen with the naked eye. Based on parallax estimates made by the Hipparcos spacecraft, the system is located some 340 light-years (104 parsecs) away. [1]
40 Aurigae is a spectroscopic binary, meaning the two stars are too close to be individually resolved, but periodic Doppler shifts in their spectra indicate there must be orbital motion. In this case, light from both stars can be detected and it is a double-lined spectroscopic binary. [3] The two have an orbital period of 28.28 days and a fairly high eccentricity of 0.56. [3] The primary star is an A-type main-sequence star and shows unusual absorption lines in its spectrum, so it is an Am star [3] with an effective temperature of 7,838 K. [6]
Xi Serpentis, Latinized from ξ Serpentis, is a triple star system in the Serpens Cauda (tail) section of the equatorial constellation Serpens. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 30.98 mas as seen from Earth, it is located 105.3 light years from the Sun. The star system is visible to the naked eye with a base apparent visual magnitude of +3.54. It is moving closer to the Sun and will make perihelion passage at a distance of 27 ly (8.2 pc) in around 690,000 years.
Rho Tucanae is a binary star system in the southern constellation of Tucana. It is visible to the naked eye with a combined apparent visual magnitude of +5.38. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 24.37 mas as seen from Earth, it is located 131 light years from the Sun.
Omega Ursae Majoris is the Bayer designation for a binary star system in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Major. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.61. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 13.24 mas, it is roughly 246 light years from the Sun. At that distance, the visual magnitude of the star is diminished by an extinction factor of 0.11 due to interstellar dust.
Tau Ursae Majoris (τ UMa) is the Bayer designation for a binary star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Major. It is visible to the naked eye, having an apparent visual magnitude of 4.66. With an annual parallax shift of 25.82 mas, it is located about 126 light years from the Sun. At that distance, the visual magnitude is diminished by an extinction factor of 0.19 due to interstellar dust.
Pi Virginis is a binary star in the zodiac constellation of Virgo. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.64. The distance to this star, based upon parallax measurements, is roughly 380 light years.
Chi Aurigae, Latinized from χ Aurigae, is the Bayer designation for a binary star system in the northern constellation of Auriga. It is faintly visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.74. The annual parallax shift of this object is much smaller than the measurement error, making distance estimates by that means unreliable. The estimated distance to this star is approximately 3,000 light years. The brightness of the star is diminished by 1.26 in magnitude from extinction caused by intervening gas and dust.
16 Aurigae is a triple star system located 232 light years away from the Sun in the northern constellation of Auriga. It is visible to the naked eye as a faint, orange-hued star with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.547, and is located about 2/3 of the way from Capella toward Beta Tauri. It also lies in the midst of the Melotte 31 cluster, but is merely a line-of-sight interloper. The system has a relatively high proper motion, advancing across the celestial sphere at the rate of 0.166 arc seconds per annum, and is moving closer to the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of −28 km/s.
9 Aurigae is a star system in Auriga (constellation). It has an apparent magnitude of about 5, making it visible to the naked eye in many suburban skies. Parallax estimates made by the Hipparcos spacecraft put it at about 85.7 light-years from the solar system.
14 Aurigae is a quadruple star system located 269 light years away from the Sun in the zodiac constellation of Auriga. It has the variable star designation KW Aurigae, whereas 14 Aurigae is the Flamsteed designation. It is visible to the naked eye as a faint, white-hued star with a combined apparent visual magnitude of 5.01. The system is moving closer to the Sun with a heliocentric radial velocity of −9 km/s.
Theta1 Crucis is a spectroscopic binary star system in the southern constellation of Crux. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.30m. The distance to this star, as determined using parallax measurements, is around 235 light years.
HR 9038 is a triple star system located thirty-five light-years away, in the constellation Cepheus. Component A is a spectroscopic binary system with an orbital period of 7.753 days and a combined stellar classification of K3 V. Component B is a red dwarf star that orbits the primary pair every 290 years.
HD 200375 is a binary star system in the equatorial constellation of Aquarius. Their orbit does not yet have a unique solution available.
LY Aurigae is a multiple star system in the constellation Auriga. It is an eclipsing binary variable star, dropping in brightness by 0.7 magnitudes every 4 days. The system is around a thousand light years away in the Auriga OB1 stellar association.
HD 106112, also known as CO Camelopardalis, is a star in the constellation Camelopardalis. It has an apparent magnitude of about 5.1, meaning that it is just barely visible to the naked eye. Based upon parallax measurements made by the Hipparcos spacecraft, this star is around 177 light years away from the Sun.
39 Draconis is a wide binary star system in the northern circumpolar constellation of Draco. It has the Bayer designation b Draconis, while 39 Draconis is the Flamsteed designation. This system is visible to the naked eye as a dim, white-hued point of light with an apparent visual magnitude of 5.0. Parallax measurements made by the Hipparcos spacecraft put it at a distance of 184 light-years, or 56 parsecs away from the Sun. The system is moving closer to the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of -24.5 km/s.
Tau5 Eridani, Latinized from τ5 Eridani, is a binary star system in the constellation Eridanus. It is visible to the naked eye with a combined apparent visual magnitude of 4.26. The distance to this system, as estimated using the parallax technique, is around 293 light years.
Omega Eridani is a binary star system in the constellation Eridanus. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude is 4.37. The distance to this star, as determined by the parallax method, is around 235 light years.
Chi Geminorum is a binary star system in the constellation Gemini, near the western border with Cancer. It can be viewed with the naked eye on a dark night, having an apparent visual magnitude of 4.98. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 12.73 mas, it is located roughly 260 light years from the Sun.
Zeta1 Lyrae, Latinized from ζ1 Lyrae, is a binary star in the northern constellation of Lyra. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 20.89 mas as seen from Earth, the pair are located about 156 light years from the Sun. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.37.
25 Serpentis is a star system in the constellation of Serpens Caput. With an apparent magnitude of 5.37, it is just barely visible to the naked eye. The system is estimated to be some 450 light-years based on its parallax.