Beta Draconis

Beta Draconis
Diagram showing star positions and boundaries of the Draco constellation and its surroundings


Location of β Draconis (circled)

Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation Draco
Right ascension 17h 30m 25.96170s[1]
Declination +52° 18′ 04.9993″[1]
Apparent magnitude (V) 2.79[2]
Characteristics
Spectral type G2 II[3]
U−B color index +0.64[4]
B−V color index +0.98[4]
R−I color index +0.48[4]
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−20.0 ± 0.9[5] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −15.89[1] mas/yr
Dec.: +12.28[1] mas/yr
Parallax (π)8.58 ± 0.10[1] mas
Distance380 ± 4 ly
(117 ± 1 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)–2.28[6]
Details
Mass6.0 ± 0.2[2] M☉
Radius40[7] R☉
Luminosity1,000[8] L☉
Surface gravity (log g)1.86 ± 0.04[2] cgs
Temperature5,160 ± 150[2] K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)13[4] km/s
Age65[2] Myr
Other designations
Rastaban, Rastaben, Alwaid, Asuia, β Dra, Beta Draconis, 23 Draconis, 23 Dra, BD+52 2065, FK5 653, HD 159181, HIP 85670, HR 6536, SAO 30429, WDS 17304+5218A.[5][4][9]
Database references
SIMBADdata

Beta Draconis (β Draconis, β Dra) is the third brightest star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Draco. It has the traditional name Rastaban, which has also been used for Gamma Draconis.[7][10] With an apparent visual magnitude of 2.79,[2] it is bright enough to be easily seen with the naked eye. Based upon parallax measurements from the Hipparcos astrometry satellite,[11][12] it lies at a distance of about 380 light-years (120 parsecs) from Earth.[1]

Compared to the Sun, this is an enormous star with six times the mass and roughly 40 times the radius. At this size, Beta Draconis is emitting about 950 times the luminosity of the Sun from its outer envelope at an effective temperature of 5,160 K,[2] giving it the yellow hue of a G-type star.[13] The spectrum matches a stellar classification of G2 Ib–IIa,[2] with the luminosity class notation Ib–IIa indicating it lies part way between the bright giant and giant stages of its stellar evolution. It is about 67 million years old.[2]

This is a binary star system, with a binary star designation of ADS 10611, in which the supergiant is orbited by a dwarf companion once every four millennia or so.[5][7]

Name

The traditional name, from the Arabic phrase ra's ath-thu'ban ("head of the serpent") is less commonly written Rastaben. It is also known as Asuia and Alwaid, the latter meaning "who is to be destroyed," though some trace it to Arabic al'awwad ("the lute player"). It is part of the asterism of the Mother Camels (Arabic al'awa'id), along with γ Dra (Eltanin), μ Dra (Erakis), ν Dra (Kuma) and ξ Dra (Grumium), which was later known as the Quinque Dromedarii.[14]

In Chinese, 天棓 (Tiān Bàng), meaning Celestial Flail, refers to an asterism consisting of β Draconis, ξ Draconis, ν Draconis, γ Draconis and ι Herculis.[15] Consequently, β Draconis itself is known as 天棓三 (Tiān Bàng sān, English: the Third Star of Celestial Flail.)[10][16][17]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 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
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Lyubimkov, Leonid S.; et al. (February 2010), "Accurate fundamental parameters for A-, F- and G-type Supergiants in the solar neighbourhood", Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 402 (2): 1369–1379, arXiv:0911.1335, Bibcode:2010MNRAS.402.1369L, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15979.x
  3. ↑ Molenda-Żakowicz, J.; Sousa, S. G.; Frasca, A.; Uytterhoeven, K.; Briquet, M.; Van Winckel, H.; Drobek, D.; Niemczura, E.; Lampens, P.; Lykke, J.; Bloemen, S.; Gameiro, J. F.; Jean, C.; Volpi, D.; Gorlova, N.; Mortier, A.; Tsantaki, M.; Raskin, G. (2013). "Atmospheric parameters of 169 F-, G-, K- and M-type stars in the Kepler field". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 434 (2): 1422. arXiv:1306.6011. Bibcode:2013MNRAS.434.1422M. doi:10.1093/mnras/stt1095.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 HR 6536, database entry, The Bright Star Catalogue, 5th Revised Ed. (Preliminary Version), D. Hoffleit and W. H. Warren, Jr., CDS ID V/50. Accessed on line September 17, 2008.
  5. 1 2 3 * bet Dra -- Star in double system, database entry, SIMBAD. Accessed on line September 17, 2008.
  6. ↑ Elgarøy, Øystein; Engvold, Oddbjørn; Lund, Niels (March 1999), "The Wilson-Bappu effect of the MgII K line - dependence on stellar temperature, activity and metallicity", Astronomy and Astrophysics 343: 222–228, Bibcode:1999A&A...343..222E
  7. 1 2 3 Rastaban, Stars, Jim Kaler. Accessed on line September 17, 2008.
  8. ↑ Mallik, Sushma V. (December 1999), "Lithium abundance and mass", Astronomy and Astrophysics 352: 495–507, Bibcode:1999A&A...352..495M
  9. ↑ Entry 17304+5218, The Washington Double Star Catalog, United States Naval Observatory. Accessed on line September 17, 2008.
  10. 1 2 pp. 207–208, Star-names and Their Meanings, Richard Hinckley Allen, New York, London: G. E. Stechert, 1899.
  11. ↑ Perryman, M. A. C.; Lindegren, L.; Kovalevsky, J.; et al. (July 1997), "The Hipparcos Catalogue", Astronomy and Astrophysics 323: L49–L52, Bibcode:1997A&A...323L..49P
  12. ↑ Perryman, Michael (2010), "The Making of History's Greatest Star Map", The Making of History's Greatest Star Map:, Astronomers’ Universe (Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag), Bibcode:2010mhgs.book.....P, doi:10.1007/978-3-642-11602-5, ISBN 978-3-642-11601-8
  13. ↑ "The Colour of Stars", Australia Telescope, Outreach and Education (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), December 21, 2004, retrieved 2012-01-16
  14. ↑ Allen, R. H. (1963). Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning (Reprint ed.). New York, NY: Dover Publications Inc. p. 207. ISBN 0-486-21079-0. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
  15. ↑ (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.
  16. ↑ (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.
  17. ↑ Alwaid, Constellations of Words, Anne Wright. Accessed on line September 17, 2008.

External links

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