Kappa Tucanae
Encyclopedia
Kappa Tucanae is a star system
in the constellation
Tucana
. It is approximately 66.6 light years
from Earth
and the combined apparent magnitude
of the system is +4.25.
The system consists of two binary pairs
separated by 5.3 arcminutes. The brightest star, Kappa Tucanae A, is a yellow-white F-type
subgiant with an apparent magnitude
of +5.1. Its binary companion, Kappa Tucanae B, has a magnitude of +7.3 and is 5 arcseconds, or at least 100 Astronomical Unit
s from A. They complete one orbit every 1222 years.
The other binary pair, the magnitude +7.8 C, and the magnitude +8.2 D, are closer to one another, at 1.12 arcseconds, or at least 23 astronomical unit
s. They orbit each other once every 86.2 years.
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....
Tucana
Tucana
Tucana is a constellation in the southern sky, created in the late sixteenth century. Its name is Latin for the toucan, a South American bird.-History:...
. It is approximately 66.6 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...
and the combined 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 the system is +4.25.
The system consists of two binary pairs
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...
separated by 5.3 arcminutes. The brightest star, Kappa Tucanae A, is a yellow-white F-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...
subgiant 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 +5.1. Its binary companion, Kappa Tucanae B, has a magnitude of +7.3 and is 5 arcseconds, or at least 100 Astronomical Unit
Astronomical unit
An astronomical unit is a unit of length equal to about or approximately the mean Earth–Sun distance....
s from A. They complete one orbit every 1222 years.
The other binary pair, the magnitude +7.8 C, and the magnitude +8.2 D, are closer to one another, at 1.12 arcseconds, or at least 23 astronomical unit
Astronomical unit
An astronomical unit is a unit of length equal to about or approximately the mean Earth–Sun distance....
s. They orbit each other once every 86.2 years.