| Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Centaurus |
| Right ascension | 14h06m 02.77s[1] |
| Declination | −41° 10′ 46.7″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | +4.353 ± 0.007[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | B2 V[3] |
| U−B color index | −0.774 ± 0.013[2] |
| B−V color index | −0.195 ± 0.006[2] |
| Variable type | β Cep[4] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | +12 km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: –22.90 ± 0.17[1] mas/yr Dec.: –21.69 ± 0.17[1] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 6.39 ± 0.21 mas[1] |
| Distance | 510 ± 20 ly (156 ± 5 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −1.3[5] |
| Details | |
| Mass | 8.2 ± 0.2[3] M☉ |
| Luminosity | 1,600[5] L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 4.22 ± 0.05[2] cgs |
| Temperature | 20,800 ± 300[2] K |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 18 ± 1[2] km/s |
| Age | 9.1 ± 3.8[3] Myr |
| Other designations | |
CD−40°8405, GC 19017, HD 122980, HIP 68862, HR 5285, SAO 224673 | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Chi Centauri (χ Cen, χ Centauri) is a star in the constellation Centaurus.
χ Centauri is a blue-white B-type main sequence dwarf with a mean apparent magnitude of +4.36. It is approximately 510 light years from Earth. It is classified as a Beta Cephei type variable star and its brightness varies by 0.02 magnitudes with a period of 50.40 minutes.
This star is a proper motion member of the Upper Centaurus–Lupus sub-group in the Scorpius–Centaurus OB association, the nearest such co-moving association of massive stars to the Sun.[5]
