Kappa Canis Majoris, Latinized from κ Canis Majoris, is a solitary,[10] blue-white hued star in the constellation Canis Major. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of +3.87.[2] Based upon an annual parallax shift of 7.70 mas as seen from Earth,[1] this star is located about 660 light years from the Sun.
  | |
| Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS) | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Canis Major |
| Right ascension | 06h 49m 50.45933s[1] |
| Declination | −32° 30′ 30.5225″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | +3.87[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | B1.5 Ve[3] |
| U−B color index | −0.97[2] |
| B−V color index | −0.20[2] |
| Variable type | γ Cas[3] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | +14.0±4.1[4] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −8.84[1] mas/yr Dec.: +3.73[1] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 4.95 ± 0.12 mas[1] |
| Distance | 660 ± 20 ly (202 ± 5 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −3.03[5] |
| Details | |
| Mass | 12.2±0.3[6] M☉ |
| Radius | 5.9[7] R☉ |
| Luminosity (bolometric) | 18,876[8] L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 4.07[7] cgs |
| Temperature | 24,600[7] K |
| Age | 13.3±1.2[6] Myr |
| Other designations | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
This is a B-type main-sequence star with a stellar classification of B1.5 Ve,[3] although Hiltner et al. (1969) classified it as B1.5 IVe[13] suggesting it is a subgiant star. The 'e' suffix indicates it is a rapidly rotating Be star with a circumstellar decretion disk of heated gas.[7] The radius of the emitting disk is about 0.20±0.06 AU, or about 3.7 times the radius of the star.[14] It is classified as a Gamma Cassiopeiae type variable star and its brightness varies from magnitude +3.4 to +3.97.[3] The star became 50% brighter between 1963 and 1978, increasing from magnitude 3.96 or so to 3.52.[15]
Naming
In Chinese, 弧矢 (Hú Shǐ), meaning Bow and Arrow,[16] refers to an asterism consisting of κ Canis Majoris, δ Canis Majoris, η Canis Majoris, HD 63032, HD 65456, ο Puppis, k Puppis, ε Canis Majoris and π Puppis. Consequently, κ Canis Majoris itself is known as 弧矢八 (Hú Shǐ bā, English: the Eighth Star of Bow and Arrow.)[17]
References
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