64 Aurigae

64 Aurigae
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Auriga
Right ascension 07h 18m 02.21420s
Declination +40° 53 00.2248
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.87
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage main sequence
Spectral type A5 Vn
B−V color index 0.181±0.005
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−10.0±4.3 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −12.784 mas/yr
Dec.: +12.065 mas/yr
Parallax (π)10.4466±0.1116 mas
Distance312 ± 3 ly
(96 ± 1 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)1.22
Details
Mass1.67 M
Luminosity27.03 L
Surface gravity (log g)3.88 cgs
Temperature8,014±272 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)212 km/s
Age291 Myr
Other designations
64 Aur, BD+41°1630, FK5 276, HD 56221, HIP 35341, HR 2753, SAO 41679
Database references
SIMBADdata

64 Aurigae is a single star located 312 light years away from the Sun in the northern constellation of Auriga. It is visible to the naked eye as a dim, white-hued star with an apparent magnitude of 5.87. The star is moving closer to the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of −10, and may come to within 167 light-years in around 5.3 million years. It is a member of the Sirius supercluster.

This object is an ordinary A-type main-sequence star with a stellar classification of 5 Vn, where the 'n' notation is used to indicate "nebulous" lines in the spectrum caused by rapid rotation. It is 291 million years old with a projected rotational velocity of 212 km/s. The star has 1.67 times the mass of the Sun and is radiating 27 times the Sun's luminosity from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 8,014 K.

It was also known to be part of a much bigger constellation named Telescopium Herschelii before it was unrecognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).