69 Virginis

69 Virginis
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation Virgo
Right ascension 13h 27m 27.16348s
Declination −15° 58 24.8980
Apparent magnitude (V) 4.76
Characteristics
Evolutionary stage horizontal branch
Spectral type K0 III-IIIb CN1.5 CH0.5
U−B color index +1.06
B−V color index +1.09
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−12.9±0.5 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −121.016 mas/yr
Dec.: +21.197 mas/yr
Parallax (π)12.5871±0.2367 mas
Distance259 ± 5 ly
(79 ± 1 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)0.09
Details
Mass3.51±0.94 M
Radius15 R
Luminosity87.1 L
Surface gravity (log g)2.70±0.11 cgs
Temperature4,909±92 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]0.11 dex
Rotational velocity (v sin i)4.3 km/s
Age288+343
−156
 Myr
Other designations
16 Vir, NSV 6253, BD+04°2604, GJ 9444, HD 116976, HIP 65639, HR 5068, SAO 157946
Database references
SIMBADdata

69 Virginis is a single star in the zodiac constellation of Virgo, located about 259 light years away. It is visible to the naked eye as a faint orange-hued star with an apparent visual magnitude of 4.76, although it is a suspected variable that may range in magnitude from 4.75 down to 4.79. This object is moving closer to the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of −13 km/s. The light from this star is polarized due to intervening interstellar dust.

This is an evolved K-type giant star with a stellar classification of K0 III-IIIb CN1.5 CH0.5, showing overabundances of CN and CH molecules in the spectrum. It is a red clump giant, which indicates is on the horizontal branch generating energy via helium fusion at its core. The star is about 288 million years old with 3.5 times the mass of the Sun and 15 times the Sun's radius. It is radiating 87 times the Sun's luminosity from its enlarged photosphere at an effective temperature of 4,909 K.