HD 73256
| Observation data Epoch J2000.0 Equinox J2000.0 | |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Pyxis | 
| Right ascension | 08h 36m 23.01654s | 
| Declination | −30° 02′ 15.4462″ | 
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 8.08 | 
| Characteristics | |
| Spectral type | G8 IV-V Fe+0.5 | 
| B−V color index | 0.782±0.002 | 
| Variable type | BY Dra | 
| Astrometry | |
| Radial velocity (Rv) | 29.66±0.14 km/s | 
| Proper motion (μ) | RA: −182.193(17) mas/yr Dec.: 67.373(21) mas/yr | 
| Parallax (π) | 27.2441±0.0217 mas | 
| Distance | 119.72 ± 0.10 ly (36.71 ± 0.03 pc) | 
| Absolute magnitude (MV) | 5.20 | 
| Details | |
| Mass | 1.01±0.03 M☉ | 
| Radius | 0.94±0.02 R☉ | 
| Luminosity | 0.74±0.01 L☉ | 
| Surface gravity (log g) | 4.49±0.03 cgs | 
| Temperature | 5,532±36 K | 
| Metallicity [Fe/H] | 0.29±0.05 dex | 
| Rotational velocity (v sin i) | 3.22±0.32 km/s | 
| Age | 2.5±2.3 Gyr | 
| Other designations | |
| CS Pyx, CD−29°6456, HD 73256, HIP 42214, SAO 176159 | |
| Database references | |
| SIMBAD | data | 
HD 73256 is a variable star in the southern constellation of Pyxis. It has the variable star designation CS Pyxidis. With a baseline apparent visual magnitude of 8.08, it requires binoculars or a small telescope to view. The star is located at a distance of 120 light years from the Sun based on parallax, and is drifting further away with a radial velocity of +30 km/s.
The stellar classification of this star is G8IV-VFe+0.5, which suggests a slightly evolved G-type main-sequence star with a mild overabundance of iron in the spectrum. It is a BY Draconis variable with a period of 13.97 days, showing a variation of 0.03 in magnitude due to chromospheric activity. The star appears overluminous for its class, which may be the result of a high metallicity. The star has roughly the same mass and a slightly smaller radius as the Sun, but is radiating 74% of the Sun's luminosity. It is around 2–3 billion years old and is spinning with a projected rotational velocity of 3.2 km/s.