| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Cetus |
| Right ascension | 01h25m 37.23270s[1] |
| Declination | −14° 35′ 55.6414″[1] |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 4.907[2] |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | K2+ III–IIIb CN0.5[3] |
| U−B color index | +1.26[4] |
| B−V color index | +1.231±0.009[5] |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | −22.6±0.7[6] km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: +44.670[1] mas/yr Dec.: −17.216[1] mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 11.9466 ± 0.3140 mas[1] |
| Distance | 273 ± 7 ly (84 ± 2 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | +0.19[5] |
| Details | |
| Mass | 1.38[7] M☉ |
| Radius | 19[8] R☉ |
| Luminosity | 132[7] L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 2.2[8] cgs |
| Temperature | 4,316±89[7] K |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | –0.32[8] dex |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 0.0[8] km/s |
| Age | 4.17[7] Gyr |
| Other designations | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
46 Ceti is a single[10] star in the equatorial constellationofCetus. It is visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.9.[11] The distance to this star, as determined from an annual parallax shiftof11.9 mas,[1] is about 273 light years. It is moving closer to the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of −23 km/s,[6] and is expected to come as close as 184 light-years in 2.2 million years.[5]
At the age of about four billion years,[7] this is an evolved K-type giant star with a stellar classificationofK2+ III–IIIb CN0.5.[3] The suffix notation CN0.5 indicates a mild overabundance of cyanogen in the stellar atmosphere. It has 1.38[7] times the mass of the Sun and has expanded to 19[8] times the Sun's radius. The star is radiating 132[7] times the Sun's luminosity from its enlarged photosphere at an effective temperature of 4,316 K.[7] The projected rotational velocity is too small to be measured.[8]
