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Brightest star in the constellation Lepus From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alpha Leporis (α Leporis, abbreviated Alpha Lep, α Lep), formally named Arneb /ˈɑːrnɛb/,[13][14] is the brightest star in the constellation of Lepus.
Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
---|---|
Constellation | Lepus |
Right ascension | 05h 32m 43.81612s[1] |
Declination | −17° 49′ 20.2414″[1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 2.589[2] |
Characteristics | |
Evolutionary stage | Blue loop (yellow supergiant)[3] |
Spectral type | F0 Ib[4] |
U−B color index | +0.386[2] |
B−V color index | +0.2[5] |
Astrometry | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | +23.9[6] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: +3.56[1] mas/yr Dec.: +1.18[1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 1.47 ± 0.14 mas[1] |
Distance | 2,200 ± 200 ly (680 ± 60 pc)[1] |
Absolute magnitude (MV) | -5.7[7] |
Details | |
Mass | 12.2±0.1[8]–13.9±0.8[9] M☉ |
Radius | 129[10] R☉ |
Luminosity | 30,502±3,111[11] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | 1.25[7] cgs |
Temperature | 6,850–7,500[12] K |
Metallicity [Fe/H] | +0.01[7] dex |
Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 13–21[5] km/s |
Age | 17.5±1.4[8] Myr |
Other designations | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
Alpha Leporis is the star's Bayer designation. The traditional name Arneb comes from the Arabic أرنب ’arnab 'hare'[15] ('Lepus' is Latin for hare). In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)[16] to catalog and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN's first bulletin of July 2016[17] included a table of the first two batches of names approved by the WGSN; which included Arneb for this star.
In Chinese, 廁 (Cè), meaning Toilet, refers to an asterism consisting of α Leporis, β Leporis, γ Leporis and δ Leporis.[18] Consequently, the Chinese name for α Leporis itself is 廁一 (Cè yī), "the First Star of Toilet".[19]
This is a massive star with about 12 times the mass of the Sun.[8] The interferometer-measured angular diameter of this star, after correction for limb darkening, is 1.77 ± 0.09 mas.[20] At an estimated distance of 2,218 light-years (680 parsecs),[1] this yields a physical size of about 129 times the radius of the Sun.[10] Alpha Leporis has a stellar classification of F0 Ib,[4] with the Ib luminosity class indicating that it is a lower luminosity yellow supergiant star. Since 1943, the spectrum of this star has served as one of the stable anchor points by which other stars are classified.[21] The effective temperature of the outer envelope is about 6,850–7,500 K, which gives the star a yellow-white hue that is typical of F-type stars.[12] It is an estimated 17.5 million years old.[8]
Arneb is an older, dying star that has already passed through a red supergiant phase and is now contracting and heating up in the latter phases of stellar evolution, in a blue loop.[3] Based upon its estimated mass, it is expected to end its life in a spectacular stellar explosion known as a supernova. However, this is not expected to happen for another million years. [22]
USS Arneb (AKA-56) was a ship of the United States Navy.