Chi Virginis
Encyclopedia
Chi Virginis is a star system
in the constellation
Virgo
. It is approximately 319 light years
from Earth
.
The primary component, Chi Virginis A, is an orange K-type
giant
with an apparent magnitude
of +4.66. It has three distant companions. At 173.1 arcseconds distant is the magnitude +9.1 Chi Virginis B, which is of spectral type
K0. Chi Virginis C is a 10th magnitude star 221.2 arcseconds away from A, and Chi Virginis D is a magnitude +9.1 K2 star 321.2 arcseconds away.
In July 2009, it was discovered that star A has a massive planet in an eccentric orbit.
Star system
A star system or stellar system is a small number of stars which orbit each other, bound by gravitational attraction. A large number of stars bound by gravitation is generally called a star cluster or galaxy, although, broadly speaking, they are also star systems.-Binary star systems:A stellar...
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....
Virgo
Virgo (constellation)
Virgo is one of the constellations of the zodiac. Its name is Latin for virgin, and its symbol is . Lying between Leo to the west and Libra to the east, it is the second largest constellation in the sky...
. It is approximately 319 light years
Light Years
Light Years is the seventh studio album by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue. It was released on 25 September 2000 by Parlophone and Mushroom Records. The album's style was indicative of her return to "mainstream pop dance tunes"....
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...
.
The primary component, Chi Virginis A, is an orange K-type
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...
giant
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...
with an apparent magnitude
Apparent magnitude
The apparent magnitude of a celestial body is a measure of its brightness as seen by an observer on Earth, adjusted to the value it would have in the absence of the atmosphere...
of +4.66. It has three distant companions. At 173.1 arcseconds distant is the magnitude +9.1 Chi Virginis B, which is of spectral type
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...
K0. Chi Virginis C is a 10th magnitude star 221.2 arcseconds away from A, and Chi Virginis D is a magnitude +9.1 K2 star 321.2 arcseconds away.
In July 2009, it was discovered that star A has a massive planet in an eccentric orbit.