HD 34255

HD 34255
Observation data
Epoch J2000.0      Equinox J2000.0 (ICRS)
Constellation Camelopardalis
Right ascension 05h 20m 22.61066s
Declination +62° 39 13.3608
Apparent magnitude (V) 5.60±0.01
Characteristics
Spectral type K4 I
U−B color index +2.00
B−V color index +1.75
Astrometry
Radial velocity (Rv)−7.7±0.15 km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: −3.105 mas/yr
Dec.: −2.373 mas/yr
Parallax (π)1.9726±0.0788 mas
Distance1,650 ± 70 ly
(510 ± 20 pc)
Absolute bolometric
magnitude
 (Mbol)
−4.40±0.24
Details
Mass6.9±0.9 M
Radius145 R
Luminosity6,101 L
Surface gravity (log g)1.14 cgs
Temperature3,927±170 K
Metallicity [Fe/H]−0.01±0.05 dex
Age46±6 Myr
Other designations
AG+62°410, BD+62°742, FK5 2397, GC 6496, HD 34255, HIP 24914, HR 1720, SAO 13460
Database references
SIMBADdata

HD 34255, also known HR 1720, is a star located in the northern circumpolar constellation Camelopardalis, the giraffe. It has an apparent magnitude of 5.60, allowing it to be faintly visible to the naked eye. The object is located relatively far at a distance of about 1.65 kly but is approaching the Solar System with a heliocentric radial velocity of −7.7 km/s.

This is a solitary, evolved red supergiant with a stellar classification of K4 I. It has 6.9 times the mass of the Sun and is said to be 46 million years old. Despite the young age, it has already ceased hydrogen fusion at its core and now has an enlarged radius of 145 R. HD 34255 radiates a bolometric luminosity over 6,000 times that of the Sun from its photosphere at an effective temperature of 3,927 K, giving it an orange glow. The star's metallicity – what astronomers dub as elements heavier than helium – is around solar level.