Chi Centauri

χ Centauri
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0
Constellation Centaurus
Right ascension 14h 06m 02.77s
Declination −41° 10 46.7
Apparent magnitude (V) +4.353 ± 0.007
Characteristics
Spectral type B2 V
U−B color index −0.774 ± 0.013
B−V color index −0.195 ± 0.006
Variable type β Cep
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)+12 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: –22.90 ± 0.17 mas/yr
Dec.: –21.69 ± 0.17 mas/yr
Parallax (π)6.39±0.21 mas
Distance510 ± 20 ly
(156 ± 5 pc)
Absolute magnitude (MV)−1.50±0.14
Details
Mass7.1±0.2 M
Radius3.5±0.3 R
Luminosity2,090+310
−270
 L
Surface gravity (log g)4.22±0.05 cgs
Temperature20,800±300 K
Rotational velocity (v sin i)18 ± 1 km/s
Age12+4
−5
 Myr
Other designations
CD−40°8405, GC 19017, HD 122980, HIP 68862, HR 5285, SAO 224673
Database references
SIMBADdata

Chi Centauri (χ Cen, χ Centauri) is a star in the constellation Centaurus.

χ Centauri is a blue-white B-type main sequence dwarf with a mean apparent magnitude of +4.36. It is approximately 510 light years from Earth. It is classified as a Beta Cephei type variable star and its brightness varies by 0.02 magnitudes with a period of 50.40 minutes.

This star is a proper motion member of the Upper Centaurus–Lupus sub-group in the Scorpius–Centaurus OB association, the nearest such co-moving association of massive stars to the Sun.