Gamma Centauri
| Observation data Epoch J2000 Equinox J2000 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Centaurus |
| Right ascension | 12h 41m 31.04008s |
| Declination | −48° 57′ 35.5375″ |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | +2.17 (+2.85/+2.95) |
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | A1IV+ (A1IV + A0IV) |
| U−B color index | −0.01 |
| B−V color index | −0.01 |
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | −5.5 km/s |
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −185.72 mas/yr Dec.: +5.79 mas/yr |
| Parallax (π) | 25.06±0.28 mas |
| Distance | 130 ± 1 ly (39.9 ± 0.4 pc) |
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | −0.81 |
| Orbit | |
| Companion | γ Centauri B |
| Period (P) | 83.57±0.21 yr |
| Semi-major axis (a) | 0.869±0.011″ |
| Eccentricity (e) | 0.793±0.003 |
| Inclination (i) | 113.7±0.7° |
| Longitude of the node (Ω) | 2.6±0.7° |
| Periastron epoch (T) | 1931.25 ± 0.07 |
| Argument of periastron (ω) (secondary) | 187.9±1.5° |
| Details | |
| Mass | 2.8 M☉ |
| Radius | 3.8 R☉ |
| Luminosity | 95 L☉ |
| Surface gravity (log g) | 3.52 cgs |
| Temperature | 9,300 K |
| Metallicity | −0.29 |
| B | |
| Mass | 2.8 M☉ |
| Radius | 3.8 R☉ |
| Luminosity | 95 L☉ |
| Temperature | 9,300 K |
| Other designations | |
| Muhlifain, γ Cen, CD−48°7597, GC 17262, HD 110304, HIP 61932, HR 4819, SAO 223603, CCDM J12415-4858, WDS 12415-4858 | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data |
Gamma Centauri is a binary star system in the southern constellation of Centaurus, which is probably part of a wider system together with Tau Centauri. The system is visible to the naked eye as a single point of light with a combined apparent visual magnitude of +2.17; individually they are third-magnitude stars.