51 Aurigae

51 Aurigae
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Auriga
Right ascension 06h 38m 39.53667s
Declination +39° 23 27.0659
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.696
Characteristics
Spectral type K5III
U−B color index +1.56
B−V color index +1.34
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)31.98±0.15 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −22.753 mas/yr
Dec.: −108.896 mas/yr
Parallax (π)7.0332±0.1300 mas
Distance464 ± 9 ly
(142 ± 3 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)0.76
Details
Mass1.58±0.53 M
Radius24.5±0.7 R
Luminosity178.0±3.9 L
Surface gravity (log g)1.84±0.11 cgs
Temperature4,277±92 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]0.01±0.05 dex
Age2.2 Gyr
Other designations
51 Aur, BD+39°1690, FK5 250, HD 47070, HIP 31771, HR 2419, SAO 59316
Database references
SIMBADdata

51 Aurigae is a single star in the northern constellation of Auriga. It is visible to the naked eye as a dim, orange-hued star with an apparent visual magnitude of about 5.70. Based on parallax, it is located some 464 light-years (142 parsecs) away from the Sun. It is receding from the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of 32 km/s.

At 2.2 billion years old, 51 Aurigae has evolved off from the main sequence and is now a K-type giant star. It is 1.58 times as massive as the Sun, 24.5 times as wide, and 178 times as luminous. It emits radiation from its photosphere with an effective temperature of about 4,277 K.