Delta Virginis
Encyclopedia
Delta Virginis is a red giant
star
in the constellation
Virgo
. It also has the traditional name Auva.
It has a spectral type of M3-III, and an magnitude
of 3.38, bright enough to be seen with the naked eye
. It is classified as a semiregular variable star
and its brightness varies from magnitude +3.32 to +3.40.
Delta Virginis is a possible binary star
, as an 11th magnitude star is located only 80 arcseconds from it. This type K dwarf is believed to have an orbital period of over 200,000 years, but this has not been confirmed.
This star, along with β Vir
(Zavijava), γ Vir
(Porrima), η Vir
(Zaniah) and ε Vir
(Vindemiatrix), were Al ʽAwwāʼ, the Barker.
In Chinese
, , meaning Left Wall of Supreme Palace Enclosure
, refers to an asterism consisting of δ Virginis, η Virginis
, γ Virginis
, ε Virginis
and α Comae Berenices
. Consequently, δ Virginis itself is known as , representing , meaning The Second Eastern Minister. 東次相 (Dōngcìxiāng), westernized into Tsze Seang by R.H. Allen and the meaning is "the Second Minister of State"
Red giant
A red giant is a luminous giant star of low or intermediate mass in a late phase of stellar evolution. The outer atmosphere is inflated and tenuous, making the radius immense and the surface temperature low, somewhere from 5,000 K and lower...
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....
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 also has the traditional name Auva.
It has a spectral type of M3-III, and an 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 3.38, bright enough to be seen with the naked eye
Naked eye
The naked eye is a figure of speech referring to human visual perception unaided by a magnifying or light-collecting optical device, such as a telescope or microscope. Vision corrected to normal acuity using corrective lenses is considered "naked"...
. It is classified as a semiregular variable star
Variable star
A star is classified as variable if its apparent magnitude as seen from Earth changes over time, whether the changes are due to variations in the star's actual luminosity, or to variations in the amount of the star's light that is blocked from reaching Earth...
and its brightness varies from magnitude +3.32 to +3.40.
Delta Virginis is a possible binary star
Binary star
A binary star is a star system consisting of two stars orbiting around their common center of mass. The brighter star is called the primary and the other is its companion star, comes, or secondary...
, as an 11th magnitude star is located only 80 arcseconds from it. This type K dwarf is believed to have an orbital period of over 200,000 years, but this has not been confirmed.
Etymology
The medieval names Auva, Al Awwa, and Minelauva are from the Arabic عوى cawwa’ "barking (dog)".This star, along with β Vir
Beta Virginis
Beta Virginis is a star in the constellation Virgo. It has the traditional names Zavijava and Alaraph...
(Zavijava), γ Vir
Gamma Virginis
Gamma Virginis is a star in the constellation Virgo. It has the traditional names Porrima, Postvarta and Arich....
(Porrima), η Vir
Eta Virginis
Eta Virginis is a star in the constellation Virgo. It has the traditional name Zaniah .Zaniah is about 204 light years distant from the Sun, and has apparent magnitude +3.9 and is of spectral type A2IV....
(Zaniah) and ε Vir
Epsilon Virginis
Epsilon Virginis is a star in the constellation Virgo. It has the traditional name Vindemiatrix, which comes from Greek through Latin and means Grape Gatherer....
(Vindemiatrix), were Al ʽAwwāʼ, the Barker.
In Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, , meaning Left Wall of Supreme Palace Enclosure
Supreme Palace enclosure
Tai Wei Yuan, the Supreme Palace Enclosure , is one of the San Yuan or Three enclosures. Stars and constellations of this group are visible during autumn in the Northern Hemisphere .-Asterisms:The asterisms are :...
, refers to an asterism consisting of δ Virginis, η Virginis
Eta Virginis
Eta Virginis is a star in the constellation Virgo. It has the traditional name Zaniah .Zaniah is about 204 light years distant from the Sun, and has apparent magnitude +3.9 and is of spectral type A2IV....
, γ Virginis
Gamma Virginis
Gamma Virginis is a star in the constellation Virgo. It has the traditional names Porrima, Postvarta and Arich....
, ε Virginis
Epsilon Virginis
Epsilon Virginis is a star in the constellation Virgo. It has the traditional name Vindemiatrix, which comes from Greek through Latin and means Grape Gatherer....
and α Comae Berenices
Alpha Comae Berenices
Alpha Comae Berenices is a star in the constellation Coma Berenices . Although it has the Bayer designation "alpha", at magnitude 4.32 it is actually fainter than Beta Comae Berenices. It has the traditional name Diadem. It is said to represent the crown worn by Queen Berenice...
. Consequently, δ Virginis itself is known as , representing , meaning The Second Eastern Minister. 東次相 (Dōngcìxiāng), westernized into Tsze Seang by R.H. Allen and the meaning is "the Second Minister of State"