53 Aurigae

53 Aurigae
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Auriga
Right ascension 06h 38m 23.01009s
Declination +28° 59 03.6220
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.744
Characteristics
Spectral type B9 Mn + F0m
U−B color index 0.07
B−V color index 0.02
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)13.1±5.0 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −16.390 mas/yr
Dec.: −14.305 mas/yr
Parallax (π)8.5139±0.1372 mas
Distance383 ± 6 ly
(117 ± 2 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)+0.48
Orbit
Period (P)38.90 yr
Semi-major axis (a)0.159″
Eccentricity (e)0.557
Inclination (i)119.5°
Longitude of the node (Ω)113.5°
Periastron epoch (T)B 1976.73
Argument of periastron (ω)
(secondary)
343.3°
Details
53 Aur A
Mass2.49±0.13 M
Surface gravity (log g)4.0 cgs
Temperature10750 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)25 km/s
53 Aur B
Surface gravity (log g)4.0 cgs
Temperature7,250 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)0 km/s
Other designations
BD+29°1293, GC 8649, HD 47152, HIP 31737, HR 2425, SAO 78571, PPM 96293, CCDM J06384+2859, WDS J06384+2859, TYC 1892-236-1, GSC 01892-00236
Database references
SIMBADdata

53 Aurigae is a binary star system in the northern constellation of Auriga. It is visible to the naked eye as a dim star with a combined apparent visual magnitude of 5.74. Parallax estimates put it at a distance of 383 light-years (117 parsecs) away. The system is receding from the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of 13 km/s.

The two components of 53 Aurigae orbit each other every 39 years with an eccentricity of 0.557. The primary component, 53 Aurigae A, is chemically peculiar since it contains higher-than-normal amounts of manganese, but also europium, chromium, and mercury. It is a B-type main-sequence mercury-manganese star, while the secondary component, 53 Aurigae B, is an early F-type main-sequence star. The total mass of the system is estimated to be 4.8 M.