Alpha Indi
Encyclopedia
Alpha Indi is a Class K0
, third-magnitude star
in the constellation
Indus
. Alpha Indi is an orange giant star
within a multiple star system. It is located about 100 light-year
s from Earth
.
In China, this star is called Pe Sze where it also was known as the Persian, a title from the Jesuit missionaries. The term Pe Sze is from the name of asterism
. In Chinese astronomy, consequently, α Indi itself is known as
Stellar classification
In astronomy, stellar classification is a classification of stars based on their spectral characteristics. The spectral class of a star is a designated class of a star describing the ionization of its chromosphere, what atomic excitations are most prominent in the light, giving an objective measure...
, third-magnitude star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
in the constellation
Constellation
In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....
Indus
Indus (constellation)
Indus is a constellation in the southern sky. Created in the sixteenth century, it represents an Indian, a word that could refer at the time to any native of Asia or the Americas.-Notable features:...
. Alpha Indi is an orange giant star
Giant star
A giant star is a star with substantially larger radius and luminosity than a main sequence star of the same surface temperature. Typically, giant stars have radii between 10 and 100 solar radii and luminosities between 10 and 1,000 times that of the Sun. Stars still more luminous than giants are...
within a multiple star system. It is located about 100 light-year
Light-year
A light-year, also light year or lightyear is a unit of length, equal to just under 10 trillion kilometres...
s from Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
.
In China, this star is called Pe Sze where it also was known as the Persian, a title from the Jesuit missionaries. The term Pe Sze is from the name of asterism
Asterism (astronomy)
In astronomy, an asterism is a pattern of stars recognized on Earth's night sky. It may form part of an official constellation, or be composed of stars from more than one. Like constellations, asterisms are in most cases composed of stars which, while they are visible in the same general direction,...
. In Chinese astronomy, consequently, α Indi itself is known as