Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Octans |
Right ascension | 14h 35m 29.6633s [2] |
Declination | −89° 46′ 18.176″ [2] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 6.66 - 7.06 [3] |
Characteristics | |
Evolutionary stage | S5,1 [4] |
Variable type | SRb [3] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | −3.5 [5] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: −8.022 [2] mas/yr Dec.: −8.668 [2] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 1.8237 ± 0.0296 mas [2] |
Distance | 1,790 ± 30 ly (548 ± 9 pc) |
Details | |
Mass | 2.7 [6] M☉ |
Radius | 197 [7] R☉ |
Luminosity | 3,767 [8] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | 0.31 [6] cgs |
Temperature | 3,520 [8] K |
Metallicity [Fe/H] | +0.10 [6] dex |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
BQ Octantis (BQ Oct) is a variable star in the constellation Octans. It is an S-type star with an apparent magnitude of 6.82. It lies less than a quarter degree from the South Celestial Pole (SCP), making it the closest star to the SCP brighter than magnitude 7. While it is much nearer the pole than Polaris Australis (the star commonly used as the south pole star), it is too dim to the naked eye to use as a visual reference.
BQ Octantis is a red giant on the asymptotic giant branch. Its spectrum has been classified as M3III or M4III. [10] The spectrum shows abnormal abundances of s-process elements and particularly ZrO, so it is classified as an S star. These stars have dredged up fusion products from the interior, especially carbon. They have reached approximately equal levels of carbon and oxygen in their atmospheres, which causes dramatic changes to the atmospheric chemistry which are visible in the spectrum. As an S star, its spectrum is classified as S5,1, with S5 approximately equivalent to the temperature of an M5 giant and the 1 indicating that the ZrO bands are relatively weak. [4]
BQ Octantis is a variable star. An amplitude of 0.05 magnitudes about an apparent magnitude of 6.82 has been derived from Hipparcos satellite photometry. The same photometry found a possible period of 0.82 d but this was very uncertain and no variability type could be determined. [11] It is listed in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars as a possible slow irregular variable. [12] It was classified as a variable star in 1977, [13] on the basis of a 1960 study. [14] All Sky Automated Survey data shows a period of 48.1 days [3]
Lambda Ursae Minoris is a star in the constellation Ursa Minor. It is an M-type red giant with an apparent magnitude of +6.38 and is approximately 880 light years from Earth.
Delta Apodis is the Bayer designation for a double star in the southern constellation of Apus.
Chi Aquarii, Latinized from χ Aquarii, is the Bayer designation of a star in the equatorial constellation of Aquarius. The distance to this star, based upon parallax measurements with a 7% margin of error, is roughly 610 light-years. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of about 5.
Iota Arae, Latinized from ι Arae, is the Bayer designation for a star in the southern constellation of Ara. It is 920 light-years from Earth, give or take a 20 light-year margin of error, and has an apparent visual magnitude of 5.2. Based upon the Bortle Dark-Sky Scale, this means the star is visible to the naked eye from suburban skies.
3 Aquarii is a variable star in the equatorial constellation of Aquarius. 3 Aquarii is the Flamsteed designation; it also bears the Bayer designation k Aquarii and the variable star designation EN Aquarii. With a mean apparent visual magnitude of 4.429, it is visible to the naked eye in dark skies. It has an annual parallax shift of 5.57 milliarcseconds with a 5% margin of error, which translates to a physical distance of around 590 light-years from Earth.
Kappa Cassiopeiae is a star in the constellation Cassiopeia.
NO Aurigae is a pulsating variable star in the constellation Auriga. It is an unusually-luminous asymptotic giant branch star about 3,500 light years away.
HD 123657, or BY Boötis, is a variable star of magnitude 4.98–5.33V. This makes it a dim naked eye star. The star is located near the end of the handle of the Big Dipper, but just within the boundaries of the constellation Boötes.
S Monocerotis, also known as 15 Monocerotis, is a massive multiple and variable star system located in the constellation Monoceros. It is the brightest star in the Christmas Tree open cluster in the area catalogued as NGC 2264.
89 Herculis is a binary star system located about 4,700 light years away from the Sun in the northern constellation of Hercules. It is visible to the naked eye as a faint, fifth magnitude star. The system is moving closer to the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of −28.5 km/s.
1 Camelopardalis is a double star system in the constellation Camelopardalis. Its combined apparent magnitude is 5.56 and it is approximately 800 parsecs (2,600 ly) away.
55 Cygni is a blue supergiant star in the constellation Cygnus. It is thought to be a member of the Cygnus OB7 stellar association at about 2,700 light years.
WR 24 is a Wolf-Rayet star in the constellation Carina. It is one of the most luminous stars known. At the edge of naked eye visibility it is also one of the brightest Wolf Rayet stars in the sky.
28 Monocerotis is a single star in the equatorial constellation of Monoceros. It has an orange-hue and is faintly visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.69. The distance to this star is approximately 450 light years based on parallax, and it has an absolute magnitude of −1.00. The star is drifting further away from the Sun with a radial velocity of +26.7 km/s.
V1073 Scorpii is a variable star in the constellation Scorpius. It has a non-Greek Bayer designation of k Scorpii. The star has a blue-white hue and is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude that fluctuates around +4.87. Parallax measurements yield a distance estimate of approximately 2,920 ly (896 pc) from the Sun, and it is drifting further away with a radial velocity of +7 km/s. It has an absolute magnitude of −6.8
Y Centauri or Y Cen is a semiregular variable star in the constellation of Centaurus.
3 Geminorum is a blue supergiant star in the constellation Gemini. It is a small amplitude pulsating variable and a close double star, with a mean combined apparent visual magnitude of about 5.7.
TV Geminorum is a variable red supergiant in the constellation Gemini. Its visual magnitude varies from 6.3 to 7.5.
Psi2 Orionis a binary star system in the equatorial constellation of Orion. It has an apparent visual magnitude of 4.6, indicating that it is visible to the naked eye. Based upon an annual parallax shift of 2.87 mass, it is roughly 1,100 light years distant from the Sun.
HD 151932, also known as WR 78, is a Wolf-Rayet star located in the constellation Scorpius, close to the galactic plane. Its distance is around 1,300 parsecs away from the Earth. Despite being a blue-colored Wolf-Rayet star, it is extremely reddened by interstellar extinction, so its apparent magnitude is brighter for longer-wavelength passbands. HD 151932 lies about 22′ west of the open cluster NGC 6231, the center of the OB association Scorpius OB1; it is not clear whether it is a part of the association or not. With an apparent magnitude of about 6.5, it is one of the few Wolf-Rayet stars that can be seen with the naked eye.