Location of α Doradus (circled) | |
Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS) | |
---|---|
Constellation | Dorado |
A | |
Right ascension | 04h33m 59.778s |
Declination | −55° 02′ 41.91″[1] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 3.27[2] |
B | |
Right ascension | 04h33m 59.782s |
Declination | −55° 02′ 42.39″[3] |
Apparent magnitude (V) | 4.3[2] |
Characteristics | |
U−B color index | −0.35[2] |
B−V color index | −0.10[2] |
R−I color index | −0.09[2] |
A | |
Spectral type | A0IIIp[2] |
Variable type | ACV[4] |
B | |
Spectral type | B9IV[2] |
Astrometry | |
A | |
Radial velocity (Rv) | 25.6 ± 0.9[5] km/s |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: 58.06[1] mas/yr Dec.: 12.73[1] mas/yr |
Parallax (π) | 19.34 ± 0.31 mas[6] |
Distance | 169 ± 3 ly (51.7 ± 0.8 pc) |
B | |
Proper motion (μ) | RA: 42.83[3] mas/yr Dec.: 12.94[3] mas/yr |
Orbit[7] | |
Period (P) | 12.1 y |
Semi-major axis (a) | 0.18″ |
Eccentricity (e) | 0.80 |
Inclination (i) | 31° |
Longitude of the node (Ω) | 140° |
Periastron epoch (T) | B1986 |
Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | 193° |
Details | |
A | |
Mass | 3.33 ± 0.10[8] M☉ |
Radius | 3.5 ± 0.3[8] R☉ |
Luminosity (bolometric) | 195[8] L☉ |
Surface gravity (log g) | 4.02 ± 0.07[8] cgs |
Temperature | 11,588[8] K |
Rotation | 2.94 days[8] |
B | |
Mass | 2.7[9] M☉ |
Radius | 1.9[9] R☉ |
Luminosity (bolometric) | 70[9] L☉ |
Temperature | 12,200[9] K |
Other designations | |
α Dor, Alpha Doradus, Alpha Dor, CD−55 916, CPD−55 663, FK5 171, GC 5600, HD 29305, HIP 21281, HR 1465, SAO 233564, PPM 333592, CCDM J04340-5503AB, WDS 04340-5503AB[5] | |
Database references | |
SIMBAD | data |
Alpha Doradus, Latinized from α Doradus, is the brightest star in the southern constellationofDorado. The distance to this system, as measured using the parallax method, is about 169 light-years (52parsecs).[6]
This is a binary star system[9] with an overall apparent visual magnitude that varies between 3.26 and 3.30,[4] making this one of the brightest binary stars.[12] The system consists of a subgiant star of spectral type B revolving around a giant star with spectral type A in an eccentric orbit with a period of about 12 years.[2][7] The orbital separation varies from 2 astronomical unitsatperiastron to 17.5 astronomical units at apastron. The primary, α Doradus A, is a chemically peculiar star whose atmosphere displays an abnormally high abundance of silicon, making this an Si star.[8]
Alpha Doradus has an optical companion, CCDM J04340-5503C, located 77 arcseconds away along a position angle of 94°. It has no physical relation to the other two stars.[2][13]