Kappa Aquarii
| |
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Aquarius |
| Right ascension | 22h 37m 45.38049s[1] |
| Declination | –04° 13′ 40.9939″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 5.03[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | K2 III[3] |
| U−B color index | +1.16[2] |
| B−V color index | +1.142[4] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | +7.31 ± 0.16[4] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: –69.23[1] mas/yr Dec.: –119.67[1] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 15.25 ± 0.21[1] mas |
| Distance | 214 ± 3 ly (65.6 ± 0.9 pc) |
| Details | |
| Radius | 13[4] R☉ |
| Luminosity | 60[4] L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 2.5[4] cgs |
| Temperature | 4,581[4] K |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | +0.14[4] dex |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 3.8[4] km/s |
| Other designations | |
Kappa Aquarii (κ Aqr, κ Aquarii) is the Bayer designation for a double star in the equatorial constellation of Aquarius. It has the traditional name Situla, a Latin word meaning "bucket" or "water jar".[6] This system is visible to the naked eye, but it is faint at an apparent magnitude of 5.03.[2] Based upon parallax measurements made during the Hipparcos mission, the distance to Kappa Aquarii is around 214 light-years (66 parsecs).[2]
This is most probably a wide binary star system.[7] The brighter component is a giant star with a stellar classification of K2 III.[3] It has exhausted the supply of hydrogen at its core and has expanded to 13[4] times the radius of the Sun. Kappa Aquarii is radiating 60[4] times the Sun's luminosity from its outer envelope at an effective temperature of 4,581 K,[4] giving it the orange-hued glow of a K-type star.[8]
The fainter companion star is located at an angular separation of 98.3 arcseconds and has an apparent magnitude of 8.8.[8]
In culture
In Chinese, 虛梁 (Xū Liáng), meaning Temple, refers to an asterism consisting of κ Aquarii, 44 Aquarii, 51 Aquarii and HD 216718.[9] Consequently, κ Aquarii itself is known as 虛梁三 (Xū Liáng sān, English: the Third Star of Temple.).[10] From this Chinese name, the name Heu Leang was appeared, meaning "the empty bridge".[6]
Endymion, an 1818 poem by John Keats, describes the star in its form as a water urn thusly:
Crystalline brother of the belt of heaven,
Aquarius! to whom King Jove has given
Two liquid pulse streams 'stead of feather'd wings,
Two fan-like fountains, — thine illuminings.[1]
USS Situla (AK-140) was a United States Navy Crater class cargo ship named after the star.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 van Leeuwen, F. (November 2007), "Validation of the new Hipparcos reduction", Astronomy and Astrophysics 474 (2): 653–664, arXiv:0708.1752, Bibcode:2007A&A...474..653V, doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20078357.
- 1 2 3 4 Nicolet, B. (1978), "Photoelectric photometric Catalogue of homogeneous measurements in the UBV System", Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series 34: 1–49, Bibcode:1978A&AS...34....1N.
- 1 2 Buscombe, W. (1962), "Spectral classification of Southern fundamental stars", Mount Stromlo Observatory Mimeogram 4, Bibcode:1962MtSOM...4....1B.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Massarotti, Alessandro; et al. (January 2008), "Rotational and Radial Velocities for a Sample of 761 HIPPARCOS Giants and the Role of Binarity", The Astronomical Journal 135 (1): 209–231, Bibcode:2008AJ....135..209M, doi:10.1088/0004-6256/135/1/209.
- ↑ "kap Aqr -- Star in double system", SIMBAD Astronomical Object Database (Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg), retrieved 2012-07-01.
- 1 2 Allen, Richard Hinckley, Star Names — Their Lore and Meaning: Aquarius (Dover ed.), retrieved 2012-07-01.
- ↑ Eggleton, P. P.; Tokovinin, A. A. (September 2008). "A catalogue of multiplicity among bright stellar systems". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 389 (2): 869–879. arXiv:0806.2878. Bibcode:2008MNRAS.389..869E. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13596.x.
- 1 2 "The Colour of Stars", Australia Telescope, Outreach and Education (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), December 21, 2004, retrieved 2012-01-16.
- ↑ (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.
- ↑ (Chinese) 香港太空館 - 研究資源 - 亮星中英對照表, Hong Kong Space Museum. Accessed on line November 23, 2010.
External links
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