Beta Sextantis
| Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS) | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Sextans |
| Right ascension | 10h 30m 17.48s |
| Declination | −00° 38′ 13.3″ |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 5.07 |
| Characteristics | |
| Evolutionary stage | main sequence |
| Spectral type | B6 V or B5 IV/V |
| U−B color index | −0.51 |
| B−V color index | −0.14 |
| Variable type | α2 CVn |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | 11.6±2.8 km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −38.805 mas/yr Dec.: −24.290 mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 8.9613±0.2448 mas |
| Distance | 364 ± 10 ly (112 ± 3 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −0.38 |
| Details | |
| Mass | 4.0 M☉ |
| Radius | 3.2 R☉ |
| Luminosity | 184 L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 4.21 cgs |
| Temperature | 14,570 K |
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.19 dex |
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 85±4 km/s |
| Age | 216 Myr |
| Other designations | |
| β Sex, 30 Sextantis, BD+00°2663, FK5 2841, HD 90994, HIP 51437, HR 4119, SAO 137608 | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Beta Sextantis, Latinized from β Sextantis, is a variable star in the equatorial constellation of Sextans. With an apparent visual magnitude of 5.07, it is faintly visible to the naked eye on a dark night. According to the Bortle scale, it can be viewed from brighter lit suburban skies. The distance to this star, based upon an annual parallax shift of 8.96 mas, is around 364 light years.
This star served as a primary standard in the MK spectral classification system with a stellar classification of B6 V, indicating that it is a B-type main sequence star. However, Houk and Swift (1999) list a classification of B5 IV/V, suggesting it may be transitioning into a subgiant star. It has served as a uvby photometric standard, but is also categorized as an Alpha2 Canum Venaticorum variable with a suspected period of 15.4 days. This lengthy a period conflicts with a relatively high projected rotational velocity of 85 km/s, leaving the explanation for the variance unresolved.