87 Leonis is a single[7] star in the zodiac constellationofLeo,[6] located approximately 480[1] light years away from the Sun. It has the Bayer designation e Leonis; 87 Leonis is the Flamsteed designation. This object is visible by the naked eye as a faint orange-hued star with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.77.[2] It is moving away from the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of 19 km/s.[2] The star is positioned near the ecliptic and thus is subject to occultation by the Moon.[8]
| Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS) | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Leo |
| Right ascension | 11h30m 18.89196s[1] |
| Declination | −03° 00′ 12.5712″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 4.77[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | K3+ III Fe−0.5[3] |
| U−B color index | +1.529±0.016[2] |
| B−V color index | +1.54[4] |
| R−I color index | +0.84[4] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | 18.8±0.8[2] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: 20.901[1] mas/yr Dec.: −17.944[1] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 6.7249 ± 0.2901 mas[1] |
| Distance | 480 ± 20 ly (149 ± 6 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −1.56[2] |
| Details | |
| Radius | 54[1] R☉ |
| Luminosity | 641[1] L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 1.56±0.20[5] cgs |
| Temperature | 4,001±32[5] K |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | −0.24±0.07[5] dex |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | ≤ 19[4] km/s |
| Other designations | |
e Leonis, 87 Leo, BD−02°3360, FK5 2917, GC 15779, HD 99998, HIP 56127, HR 4432, SAO 138238, PPM 178510[6] | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
This is an aging K-type giant star with a stellar classificationofK3+ III Fe−0.5,[3] which means it has exhausted the hydrogen at its core and evolved away from the main sequence. The suffix notation indicates a mild underabundance of iron in the atmosphere. It has expanded to 37[9] times the Sun's radius and is radiating over a thousand[2] times the Sun's luminosity from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 4,001 K.[5]